A new poll finds there’s been a significant drop in the past year among Americans who blame former President Donald Trump for the riot at the U.S. Capitol.
The NBC News survey found that 45% of Americans said Mr. Trump is “solely” or “mainly” responsible for the riot on Jan. 6, 2021, compared with 52% who said the same last year.
The survey, which polled 1,000 adults, found that 55% said the former president is only somewhat or not really responsible for the event.
The poll comes on the heels of the Jan. 6 committee’s first public hearing, which will be aired during prime-time on Thursday.
The hearing is expected to be an overview of the Democratic-led panel’s work into its nearly yearlong investigation.
Other hearings will offer video footage of the 1,000 interviews that lawmakers have conducted privately and will draw testimony from Trump administration officials. The information will include video interviews of Mr. Trump’s daughter, Ivanka, and his son-in-law Jared Kushner, who served as a White House adviser.
The committee has received a mixed reception along party lines. Republicans dub it as a partisan sham, while Democrats see it as a necessary tool to defend the nation’s democracy.
The committee is made up of seven Democrats and two Republicans, including Reps. Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois — two vocal Trump critics.
Rep. Bennie Thompson, Mississippi Democrat, chairs the panel.
The NBC News poll, which was conducted May 5-7 and 9-10, had an error margin of plus or minus 3.1%.
• Mica Soellner can be reached at msoellner@washingtontimes.com.
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