Nearly 6 in 10 Americans believe Trump is a ‘potentially dangerous dictator’ who threatens democracy, poll finds

Nearly 6 in 10 Americans think President Donald Trump has dictatorial ambitions and could destroy U.S. democracy, a new poll has found.

The survey, conducted by the nonpartisan Public Religion Research Institute, found that 58% of respondents agreed with the statement that Trump is “a potentially dangerous dictator whose power should be limited before he destroys American democracy.”

Around two-thirds of independents and Hispanic Americans — two key voting demographics — also agreed.

Partisan splits over election integrity, however, remain strong. When asked about the biggest problem U.S. elections face, around 80% of Republicans said ineligible voters casting ballots, while the same portion of Democrats said eligible voters being denied their right to vote.

And 35% of Americans — and nearly 60% of Republicans — said they support Trump sending federal agents to seize ballots and take over vote counting if there are “serious concerns” about voter fraud. 

Voter fraud and illegal voting are exceedingly rare phenomena that Trump has claimed are widespread and has used as justification to launch a multifront attack on elections.

The new poll comes at a moment when Trump faces record-low approval ratings, in large part because of the ongoing Iran war and a floundering economy. 

Only 37% of respondents said Trump is a “strong leader who should be given the power he needs to restore America’s greatness,” which matches other surveys.

At the same time, 71% of Americans told the pollster that the country is headed in the wrong direction. 

The poll results indicate that Trump’s winning electoral coalition is “breaking apart,” Melissa Deckman, the Public Religion Research Institute’s CEO, said in a press release.

“His 2024 gains are clearly not a long-term realignment, as we see Black, Hispanic, and young male voters moving back to Democrats,” she said.