Poll finds most Americans closely following case of FBI raid on Trump's residence

WASHINGTON, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- A poll released Wednesday found that 76 percent of Americans are closely following the news about the removal of classified documents from former U.S. President Donald Trump's Florida home.

The poll came just weeks after the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)'s raid on Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence on Aug. 8.

Thirty-eight percent of the respondents said they are following the case very closely, while another 38 percent said they are following the situation somewhat closely, according to Quinnipiac, a major pollster.

Sixty-four percent of Americans thought the allegations involving Trump and his handling of classified documents after leaving the White House are either very serious (49 percent) or somewhat serious (15 percent), the poll found.

The U.S. Department of Justice said late Tuesday night that classified documents at the former president's estate were "likely concealed and removed" before the FBI raid earlier this month, NBC News reported.

The unprecedented FBI raid of a former president's home sparked outrage among Republican lawmakers and conservative media. Even some Democrats, such as former New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo, questioned the move.

The FBI claimed it had "probable cause" that warranted a raid, as the bureau believed it would find "evidence of obstruction" -- a crime in the United States -- at Trump's residence.