Around six in 10 Americans believe US President Donald Trump is illegally profiting from his presidency or engaging in unethical conduct, according to a poll by The Associated Press-NORC Centre for Public Affairs Research. A majority also believe he has prioritised his personal financial interests over ordinary Americans.

Around four in 10 respondents said Trump was doing something illegal, while two in 10 viewed his conduct as unethical but not illegal. Only two in 10 said he was doing nothing wrong. A similar share said they lacked enough information to judge the allegations.

The findings come as Trump's family business expands into new ventures, including cryptocurrency, following his return to the White House. The poll found that 56% of US adults believe he has placed “a lot” of emphasis on his personal businesses. Another 54% said he had given similar attention to the business interests of his friends and family. In contrast, around one-quarter said he had prioritised the country to the same extent, while about one in 10 believed he had focused heavily on people like them.

Barbara Thaxton, an 87-year-old independent voter from Florida, said, “His wealth increases,” she said, “but the people in the country are just barely getting by.”

The White House has rejected allegations of financial benefits, maintaining that Trump and his family have no conflicts of interest and that he acts in the country's interests. Trump dismissed concerns at the start of his second term, telling The New York Times that “I found out that nobody cared.”

Unlike during his first term, Trump has lifted a self-imposed restriction on overseas private-sector deals involving his family. He has also launched several cryptocurrency businesses.

A federal financial disclosure filed in June showed Trump reported receiving more than $1 billion from new cryptocurrency ventures after his administration eased industry regulations. One major venture received a $500 million investment after his election from a United Arab Emirates business linked to the country's royal family. It also received assistance from a cryptocurrency company founded by a Chinese billionaire facing legal trouble in the US.

The Trump Organisation struck eight foreign real estate deals during his first year in office. Several involved authoritarian or one-party states whose governments influence private businesses and seek favourable relations with Washington. The poll measured public perceptions and did not establish whether any activities were illegal.

Political affiliation strongly influenced responses. Around eight in 10 Democrats believed Trump had acted illegally. The figures fell to three in 10 among independents and one in 10 among Republicans. Around two in 10 independents and a similar share of Republicans considered his conduct unethical but not illegal. Most Republicans either defended him or said they lacked enough information.

Audra Pelsue, a 52-year-old Republican from New York, said, “His family has probably benefited, but I don’t think he has,” dismissing critics as suffering from “Trump derangement syndrome”. She also cited Hunter Biden's position at Ukrainian energy company Burisma while Joe Biden was vice-president.

Around half of Republicans said Trump had focused heavily on the country, while one-quarter said he had prioritised his businesses. John Bartus of Idaho cited Trump's decision to donate his annual presidential salary of USD 400,000, saying, “It seems like his business interests are a part of his life, but it doesn’t seem like he lets that interfere with what’s going on in the country,” he said. “He puts it on the back burner.”

Lisa Fernandez, a 57-year-old Democrat from Texas, said, “He's exploiting it for his own needs and his family and making a profit off the people who he is supposed to be serving,” she said. “His whole reason for being is to enrich himself and take what he can take without consequences.”

A separate Reuters/Ipsos poll last month put Trump's approval rating at 32%, its lowest level in his political career, amid concerns over living costs and the war involving Iran. Only 17% approved of his handling of living costs, while his overall approval had dropped from 35% the previous week.