Trump Supporters More Likely Than Critics to Feel Safe Shopping in Malls

(Bloomberg) -- When it comes to shopping, supporters of President Donald Trump are least concerned about heading back to the mall.

According to a survey of 2,200 U.S. adults, half of respondents who said they strongly approve of the president also said they feel safe or somewhat safe going to the mall -- twice the rate of those who strongly disapprove of Trump’s job.

This trend is mirrored in other areas as well, with Trump supporters generally saying they feel safer in public spaces like grocery stores and small businesses compared to his critics. The study, a collaboration between Bloomberg News and Morning Consult, was conducted June 26-28, shortly after new infections began to spike in states including Texas and Florida.

Experts and citizens alike have criticized Trump’s at-times blase attitude toward the virus, which has killed 130,000 people in the U.S. The president, who has encouraged states to reopen their economies, said recently that he’s open to wearing a face covering -- which is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to slow the virus’s spread -- in certain situations, but he hasn’t made it a habit.

Among participants who said they strongly disapproved of Trump, about 70% said they feel unsafe in malls.

Gender also helps determine comfort with in-person shopping: 40% of men said they’d feel safe in a mall, compared to 34% of women.

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