Over half of Americans polled think Trump is using federal law enforcement to target foes

More than half of Americans, including about three in10 Republicans, believe US President Donald Trump is using federal law enforcement to go after his enemies, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll that also found growing concern about US political divisions nine months into his second term in office.

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Some 55 per cent of poll respondents in the six-day poll, which closed on Oct 20, agreed with a statement that the Republican President is using law enforcement to target his enemies, while 26 per cent disagreed and the rest were unsure or did not respond.

Some 85 per cent of the poll respondents who identified themselves as Democrats agreed, as did 29 per cent of the Republican poll takers.

Mr Trump’s Justice Department in the past month has brought criminal charges against three prominent adversaries of the President, including former Federal Bureau of Investigation director James Comey, New York state attorney-general Letitia James and former national security adviser John Bolton.

All three have denied wrongdoing.

The US Justice Department has historically kept an arm’s length from the president, seeking to protect prosecutorial independence.