Context behind Reuters poll on 82% of adults want presidents to obey courts

[Karah Rucker]

THERE’S A NEW POLL OUT BY REUTERS/IPSOS –

THAT FOUND 82 PERCENT OF AMERICANS BELIEVE “PRESIDENTS SHOULD OBEY THE COURTS.”

A MAJORITY OF DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS AGREED ON THIS BASIC PRINCIPLE.

THE QUESTION WAS POSED TO ONE THOUSAND ADULTS – CONDUCTED ONLINE – OVER THE WEEKEND –

AT A TIME WHEN A HIGH-PROFILE COURT BATTLE BETWEEN THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION AND THE ACLU IS PLAYING OUT OVER DEPORTATION FLIGHTS TO EL SALVADOR ON THE BASIS OF A 1793 ALIEN ENEMIES ACT.

A QUICK PLUG HERE FOR YOU TO CHECK OUT MY PODCAST “BIAS BREAKDOWN” – BECAUSE YESTERDAY’S EPISODE COVERED THIS TOPIC EXTENSIVELY.

WE DELVED INTO HOW THE MEDIA IS SHAPING NARRATIVES REGARDING THIS COURT CASE –

WHICH IS CENTRAL TO REUTERS’ REPORT OVER ITS RECENT POLL.

THE ACLU HAS ARGUED IN COURT FILINGS THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION **VIOLATED A COURT’S ORDER HALTING DEPORTATION FLIGHTS RELATED TO THE ALIEN ENEMIES ACT –

THE TRUMP ADMIN ARGUES THEY DID NOT.

AS OF WEDNESDAY – THE TIME OF THIS RECORDING – THE COURT ITSELF HAS NOT RULED TRUMP VIOLATED ANY COURT ORDERS.

LET’S LOOK AT THE POLL’S SPECIFIC QUESTIONING AND RESULTS.

THOSE POLLED WERE ASKED IF THEY BELIEVE “THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES SHOULD OBEY FEDERAL COURT RULINGS EVEN IF THE PRESIDENT DOESN’T WANT TO.”

82 PERCENT SAID YES.

14 PERCENT SAID NO.

WHEN ASKED IF THEY BELIEVE “THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SHOULD CONTINUE TO DEPORT PEOPLE THEY VIEW AS A RISK DESPITE THE COURT ORDER” –

76% OF REPUBLICANS SAID YES.

92 PERCENT OF DEMOCRATS SAID NO.

WHILE THERE IS A COURT ORDER IN PLACE HALTING DEPORTATION FLIGHTS ON THE GROUNDS OF THE ALIEN ENEMIES ACT –

DEPORTATION FLIGHTS **ARE CONTINUING ON THE BASIS OF **OTHER IMMIGRATION LAWS – LIKE TITLE 8 REMOVAL PROCEEDINGS.

DEPORTATION FLIGHTS NOT RELATED TO THE ALIEN ENEMIES ACT ARE ACTIVELY HAPPENING – SUCH AS FLIGHTS TO VENEZUELA TAKING PLACE MONDAY.

IT WAS FLIGHTS THAT LEFT FOR EL SALVADOR ON THE BASIS OF THE ALIEN ENEMIES ACT WHILE A COURT HEARING WAS TAKING PLACE – THAT LED TO THE ACLU CLAIMING THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION VIOLATED THE JUDGE’S ORDER TO HALT THE FLIGHTS AND TURN ANY PLANES AROUND.

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ARGUES THE TWO PLANES IN QUESTION WERE OVER INTERNATIONAL WATERS – AND WERE NOT SUBJECT TO THE ORDER.

WHILE **SO FAR** THE COURT HAS NOT RULED THE ADMINISTRATION WAS IN VIOLATION – JUDGE JAMES BOASBERG IS LOOKING INTO THE ISSUE.

THE PRESIDENT AND HIS ADMIN OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN VOCAL IN THEIR **OPPOSITION OF THE COURT’S RULINGS –

SUGGESTING THE COURTS AND JUDGES ARE “OVERSTEPPING THEIR AUTHORITY” BY BLOCKING THE ADMINISTRATION’S ENFORCEMENT OF IMMIGRATION LAWS AND OTHER EXECUTIVE ORDERS NOW TIED UP IN THE COURTS.

[stephen miller } white house deputy chief of staff

“Disctrict court judges do not have the authority as a general matter to enjoin the function of the executive branch, but their authority is at its lowest point when the president is exercising his powers as commander in chief.” 

[karoline leavitt | white house press secretary]

“Since you brought up the judges, i would like to point out the judges in this country are acting erroneously. We have judges in this country who are acting as partisan activists from the bench.” 

[pam bondi | u.s. Attorney general]

“You have one unelected federal judge trying to control foreign policies, trying to control the alien enemies act which they have no business presiding over.” 

WHILE THIS POLL SUGGESTS AMERICANS HAVE A CONSENSUS “PRESIDENTS SHOULD OBEY THE COURTS” EVEN WHEN THE PRESIDENT IS UNHAPPY WITH COURT RULINGS –

THERE WERE NO QUESTIONS IN THIS POLL OVER AMERICANS’ FAITH IN THE JUDICIARY –

BUT A SEPARATE GALLUP SURVEY FOUND AMERICANS CONFIDENCE IN THE “JUDICIAL SYSTEM AND COURTS” HIT A RECORD LOW IN 2024 – AT 35%.

THE “DECLINE IN CONFIDENCE” WAS AMONG THE “LARGEST GALLUP HAS EVER MEASURED” GLOBALLY.”

WE’VE COVERED SEVERAL BIG POLLING STORIES RECENTLY.

INCLUDING POLLS OVER TRUMP’S APPROVAL RATING –

WHICH WAS THE SUBJECT OF ANOTHER BIAS BREAKDOWN EPISODE –

BECAUSE THE MEDIA’S COVERAGE OF TRUMP’S APPROVAL – LARGELY CHERRY PICKED POLLS THAT BEST ALIGNED WITH A NEWS OUTLET’S LEFT OR RIGHT POLITICAL BIAS.

BECAUSE POLLS CAN SOMETIMES BE MANIPULATED AND USED AS “EVIDENCE” OR “SUPPORT” TO BACK A NARRATIVE – AND IS AN IDENTIFIED TYPE OF MEDIA BIAS BY THE MEDIA WATCHDOG GROUP ALL SIDES –

WE TRY TO REPORT ON POLLS THROUGH A CRITICAL, PROFESSIONAL LENS.

TELLING YOU UPFRONT HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE POLLED, THE **METHOD OF POLLING, AND EXACT WORDING OF POLL QUESTIONS.

THEN WE LEAVE IT  TO YOU TO FORM YOUR OWN OPINIONS OVER THE FACTS PRESENTED.

THANKS FOR WATCHING OUR NEWS UPDATE ALL THE WAY TO THE END HERE.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS – I’M KARAH RUCKER.

I’D APPRECIATE YOU CHECKING OUT SAN’S LATEST PODCAST – “BIAS BREAKDOWN.”

IT’S A PROJECT I’M PUTTING A LOT OF MY ENERGY INTO TO TRY AND BRING YOU A NEWS PRODUCT YOU DESERVE – TRUE TO OUR MISSION –

BREAKING DOWN MEDIA BIASES – AND LEAVING YOU WITH THE “UNBIASED. STRAIGHT FACTS.”

THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

SEE YA NEXT TIME.