AMNA NAWAZ: It was certainly an historic week, as Donald Trump became the first ex-president to face charges in federal court.

And a new ""PBS NewsHour"/NPR/Marist poll helps explain how American voters view the former president.

The indicted former president lashing out.

DONALD TRUMP, Former President of the United States: A corrupt sitting president had his top political opponent arrested on fake and fabricated charges.

AMNA NAWAZ: Many of his Republican rivals coming to his defense.

VIVEK RAMASWAMY (R), Presidential Candidate: This is my commitment, on January 20, 2025, if I am elected the next U.S. president, to pardon Donald J. Trump.

AMNA NAWAZ: Mr. Trump faces 37 federal criminal charges.

The indictment alleges he conspired to hide classified documents from the government after being asked to return them.

It was just the latest indictment of the former president.

In April, he was charged in a New York court with 34 counts of falsifying business records to hide damaging information from voters before the 2016 election.

And more charges may be coming.

A Georgia investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 election is expected to wrap up this summer.

The response from American voters?

PROTESTER: We want Trump!

AMNA NAWAZ: Sharp divides and a clear test of party allegiance.

In a new "PBS NewsHour"/NPR/Marist poll, half of Americans say Mr. Trump has done something illegal, including half of independents.

A quarter of respondents believe he's done nothing wrong.

But half of Republicans hold that view.

Those feelings were on display at a GOP focus group in Iowa assembled by pollster Sarah Longwell that the "NewsHour" observed.

SOPHIA DETLEFSEN, Republican Voter: Why isn't Biden indicted?

Just because he gave them back at an appropriate time?

I mean, really?

He did exactly the same thing.

MATT THOMPSON, Republican Voter: You have a current president who is siccing all of the DOJ on a potential candidate.

That's never happened.

LEE MIRINGOFF, Director, Marist Institute for Public Opinion: The country is so divided that these events are being seen in absolutely separate lenses.

AMNA NAWAZ: Lee Miringoff is the director of the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion.

LEE MIRINGOFF: If you talk about what's happening in American politics, candidate Trump, President Trump, former President Trump all define so much of our political reality today, but not in a unified way.

People are just viewing him so differently, with a different lens, depending on whether they're Democrats, Republicans or independents.

AMNA NAWAZ: This indictment has only solidified Mr. Trump's support among Republicans.

In the Marist poll, Trump has seen an eight-point jump since February; 76 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning voters now view him favorably.

SARAH LONGWELL, Longwell Partners: Raise your hand if it makes you support him more.

Raise your hand if it makes you support him less.

AMNA NAWAZ: Americans overall feel very differently.

More than half say Trump should drop out of the presidential race, including 58 percent of independents.

But, for Republicans, nearly two-thirds say Trump will have their support in the GOP primary.

Just one-third say they will support another candidate.

As the number of primary candidates continues to grow, they will need to change many Republican minds before voting begins early next year.