One in four of us have signed an anti-Trump petition
The presidency of Donald Trump has prompted millions of people to become more politically engaged and increase their support for good causes.
Research carried out for the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) by YouGov suggests that a third of the population have responded to the US President’s election to the White House by lending their support to a cause or charity.
Signing a petition was the most popular response, with one in four UK adults saying they had done so in direct response to the Trump presidency.
More than a million people have made a donation to charity or volunteered. And while 6% of people said they had already taken part in demonstration or protest, one in five UK adults (20%) say they’d be more likely to in future.
The YouGov polling indicates that younger people are most likely to have been prompted to get involved in charities or campaigns following the Republican’s victory over Hillary Clinton last November.
The research also suggests that human rights and overseas aid causes were probably the most likely to have benefited from such support.
It also found that increased support for charities and issues was likely to continue, with large numbers of people saying they were more inclined to engage in such activity in future.
Last month, CAF’s UK Giving report found that the 2016 EU Referendum and the continuing debate around Brexit had led to an increase in people getting involved in protests and campaigns.
CAF’s head of research Susan Pinkney said: “The past 12 months has seen a huge amount of political change on both sides of the Atlantic. As with the EU referendum, the election of Donald Trump appears to have really motivated people to get engaged with causes and campaigns.
“For many this has translated into signatures on petitions or taking part in protest marches, while for others it has prompted donations to causes they care about.
“At a time when people increasingly feel that they want to make a difference, many see charities as a way to achieve that.”
