New poll shows divide between Trump’s base and other voters

GEOFF BENNETT: Democratic lawmakers are calling out former President Donald Trump for inciteful rhetoric against federal officials and prosecutors.

And new polling shows Mr. Trump is losing support among swing voters.

Lisa Desjardins has more on what this means for his bid for the Republican presidential nomination.

REP. ADRIANO ESPAILLAT (D-NY): Good morning, everyone.

LISA DESJARDINS: In New York City, strong words and pushback at former local and former President Donald Trump.

WOMAN: You're not bringing an insurrection here, Donald Trump.

LISA DESJARDINS: A group of Democratic lawmakers and community activists this morning defending the city's top prosecutor.

Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg heads an investigation that could lead to charges against Trump.

Late last week, Trump warned on his TRUTH Social platform that charges could mean -- quote -- "death and destruction."

And in a post that was later deleted, the former president shared an image of himself with a baseball bat next to Bragg.

Since then, Bragg received death threats, including an envelope with white powder in it.

New York Congressman Adriano Espaillat: REP. ADRIANO ESPAILLAT: We will not be intimidated as a community by threats.

And we're here to watch our DA's back.

DONALD TRUMP, Former President of the United States: It's a big hello to Texas.

LISA DESJARDINS: But in Texas over the weekend... DONALD TRUMP: It's great to be back.

LISA DESJARDINS: ... Trump supporters crowded by the thousands to support him as he railed against Bragg and anyone investigating him.

DONALD TRUMP: From the beginning, it's been one witch-hunt and phony investigation after another.

LISA DESJARDINS: Trump, never shy from controversy, stirred more with this first campaign rally of his 2024 run simply with the location, Waco.

In 1993, the nation watched as a standoff in Waco between federal agents and a religious cult led to 86 deaths.

The event has become a touchstone for some, including violent extremist groups, and the weeks-long siege happened exactly 30 years ago.

During his speech, Trump seized on anti-government fears with vivid imagery referencing violence.

DONALD TRUMP: The only way to stop these arsonists is to rebuke and reject this evil persecution by sending us straight back to the White House.

LISA DESJARDINS: The rally included a recording of the national anthem by people incarcerated for rioting on January 6.

Trump himself disparaged prosecutors and the Biden administration, telling supporters: DONALD TRUMP: You will be vindicated and proud, and the thugs and criminals who are corrupting our justice system will be defeated, discredited and totally disgraced.

LISA DESJARDINS: While Trump continues to rile up his loyal base, new polling shows he has convinced roughly four in 10 Americans he is the victim of a witch-hunt, while the majority of those asked in the latest "PBS NewsHour"/NPR/Marist poll say investigations of Trump are fair.

But that figure is much smaller, less than one in five, for Republicans.

There is also a deep divide over his guilt or innocence.

Nearly half of Americans say Trump has done something illegal.

Less than a quarter say he's done nothing wrong at all.

But that sentiment reverses for Republicans, with just 10 percent say and Trump's broken the law and nearly half believing Trump has committed no wrongdoing, legal or ethical.

It adds up to a Trump grip on GOP loyalty.

Three-quarters of Republicans would like to see him be president again.

But critical independent voters, nearly two-thirds of them do not want him back, setting up a dilemma for the GOP.

LEE MIRINGOFF, Director, Marist Institute for Public Opinion: For Donald Trump, it remains all about his base.

LISA DESJARDINS: Lee Miringoff is the director of the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion.

LEE MIRINGOFF: So, if you're going to be elected, you need to have your core intact, and it's largely intact for him.

But you also need to get a good swipe of the independents.

And that right now seems more in doubt because of the concerns over what he's going through right now, in terms of the investigations and where that might play out.

LISA DESJARDINS: But for the Trump supporters at his Waco rally, there's only one choice.

DAVE WHITE, Trump Supporter: If Trump got arrested for the charges that they're talking about now, I would vote for him 10 times over.

I just don't believe there's anything to it.

And even if there is, so what?

It's own his private life.

So what?

MICHELLE MICKES, Trump Supporter: Donald Trump is for America, and he fights for Americans.

The far left doesn't like that, and so that's why they keep attacking him.

LISA DESJARDINS: Supporters show few doubts, but a host of questions remain over Trump's legal and political future.

For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm Lisa Desjardins.