Americans aren't convinced Russia influenced the election

(Image credit: ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images)

published 20 December 2016

Despite both the FBI and the CIA finding that Russia tried to sway the election in Donald Trump's favor, many Americans aren't convinced Russia actually influenced the outcome. A Politico/Morning Consult poll released Tuesday revealed that just one-third of Americans say they think Russia tipped the scales in the presidential election. Forty-four percent said they do not think Russia wielded influence. The president-elect has remained similarly skeptical about the agencies' findings.

It's not clear what's behind Americans' doubts about Russia's meddling. They can't necessarily be attributed to a lack of trust in the FBI or CIA though, or an affinity towards Russia. The poll found that Americans tend to trust the CIA and the FBI more than the president and the president-elect, with 65 percent saying they trusted the CIA to provide accurate information, 55 percent saying they trusted President Obama, and 51 percent saying they trusted Trump. Only 22 percent of American voters said they had a favorable view of Russia, while 62 percent reported an unfavorable view.