Trump’s Comey Dismissal Not a Popular Move

A new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll shows unfavorable views of President Trump’s move to dismiss FBI Director James Comey. The poll, conducted among 800 adults, found that only 29% of Americans approve of Comey’s dismissal, though Trump’s overall approval dropped only one point from last month’s NBC/WSJ poll to 39%. Here’s a closer look at the numbers:

• Party breakdown: While 29% approve of Comey's dismissal, 38% disapprove and 32% have no opinion. Along partisan lines, those who approved of Comey’s firing were largely Republican, with a 58% approval rating. Independents and Democrats were more critical, with 36% of Independents and 66% of Democrats giving the move a thumbs down.
• Altered views of Trump?: 30% of participants say firing Comey lowered their opinion of Trump, while 6% say they now have a more favorable view and 61% say the dismissal did not change their opinion.
• How does Comey measure up?: Only 18% of participants had a positive rating of Comey, against a 26% negative rating. The FBI in general received a 52% approval rating and a 16% negative rating.
• Special commission: Nearly half of participants, 46%, agree with the statement that the Russian investigation drove Trump’s decision, while 38% say it was over the handling of Hillary Clinton's email. Meanwhile, 78% prefer that a special prosecutor or independent commission handle the investigation instead of Congress.

Read more on NBC News. (More James Comey stories.)