Many Voters Aren’t Taking Trump’s Comments Seriously
By Ryan O’Donnell and Lew Blank
Former President Donald Trump is known for making outlandish comments — from claiming that Haitian immigrants are eating people’s pets, to suggesting the use of nuclear weapons to deter hurricanes, to saying he would be a dictator on day one. One question throughout his political career has been: How seriously do voters take him while he’s making these comments?
Since Trump’s first presidential bid in 2016, analysts have debated whether his comments should be taken “seriously” or “literally.” In a new survey, however, Data for Progress finds that many voters aren’t taking his comments seriously or literally. Instead, large percentages of voters do not think Trump is being serious at all when making various statements.
Data for Progress’ survey provided likely voters with nine statements from Trump and asked them if they think Trump genuinely believes this, was being serious but exaggerating for effect, was saying this to get attention or provoke a reaction, was joking or being sarcastic, or was intentionally lying or misleading people. For 6 of the 9 statements, less than half of voters say that Trump was being serious at all (that he “genuinely believes this” or that he “was being serious but exaggerating for effect”).
For all nine tested statements, 50% or less of Independent voters think Trump was being serious at all (that he “genuinely believes this” or that he “was being serious but exaggerating for effect”):
Saying there were "very fine people on both sides" at the white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia (50%)
Saying that if Kamala Harris is president, Israel "will not exist in two years" (48%)
Saying women should face "some form of punishment" for getting an abortion (47%)
Saying Kamala Harris became Black "only recently" (44%)
Saying Haitian immigrants are "eating our dogs and cats" (41%)
Saying he would be a "dictator on day one" (39%)
Suggesting that police should be given "one really violent day" to combat retail crime (36%)
Suggesting that the U.S. should consider using nuclear weapons to stop incoming hurricanes (30%)
Saying wind turbines cause cancer (30%)
For all nine statements, more than 2 in 5 Democrats think Trump was being serious. Additionally, an average of about 1 in 5 of Democrats say that Trump was intentionally lying or misleading people.
Republicans are more split in how seriously they take Trump’s statements. For some statements — Israel not existing under a Harris presidency, “very fine people on both sides,” immigrants eating dogs and cats, and Harris “becoming Black” — more than 4 in 10 Republicans believe Trump was being serious. For others — using nuclear weapons to deter hurricanes, wind turbines causing cancer, giving police “one really violent day,” and “dictator on day one” — less than 3 in 10 Republicans think Trump was serious, while a plurality say that Trump was joking or being sarcastic.
Of course, some of Trump’s stances are taken seriously. Recent Data for Progress polling shows that a majority of voters think Trump would attempt to pass an abortion ban if elected president, for instance. But for the tested statements above, many voters aren’t taking Trump at his word.
In 2016, billionaire Trump supporter Peter Thiel claimed that although he didn’t agree with Trump’s stated plans to ban Muslim immigration or build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, he didn’t think these proposals should be taken literally. A few months later, in his first week after taking office, Trump immediately signed a ban on immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries and signed an executive order to build a border wall.
This election, Trump is claiming that women should face “some form of punishment for abortion,” that he would be a “dictator on day one,” and that police should be given “one really violent day.” This polling shows that while these authoritarian proposals may be real ideas for a potential next Trump presidency, most Independent voters aren’t taking them seriously.
Ryan O’Donnell (@ryanodonnellpa) is the Deputy Executive Director at Data for Progress.
Lew Blank (@LewBlank) is a communications strategist at Data for Progress.
Cover photo attributed to Gage Skidmore.