> There is a sense that the new American administration is more appropriately focused on oppressing criminals and people occupying the country illegally, which may account for more acceptance and a slight uptick in trust
That’s not an interesting insight IMO.
All governments claim some degree of criminality or immorality of the people they are oppressing.
After all, didn’t this administration pardon people who 50% of the country believe were actively trying to overthrow the government?
I think it accurately explains the mood shift of the portion of the public the OP was originally criticizing for apparent hypocrisy. The same portion of the public who think the prosecutions of the Jan 6 protestors as wildly overzealous, at best.
That’s not an interesting insight IMO.
All governments claim some degree of criminality or immorality of the people they are oppressing.
After all, didn’t this administration pardon people who 50% of the country believe were actively trying to overthrow the government?