Shortly after the first-ever mug shot of a former American president, Donald Trump, was released, his election campaign for 2024 has now monetised the viral photos, by printing it onto t-shirts and coffee mugs. Trump surrendered to authorities in Georgia at the Fulton County Jail on charges of plotting to overturn the state's 2020 election results.
Trump, 77, spent about 22 minutes inside the jail where he was booked before his release on Thursday. His surrender in Georgia marks the fourth time this year the former president has turned himself in after criminal charges were brought against him by federal and state officials. But it's the first time he was subjected to a mug shot.
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After being released on a bail of USD 200,000 bond, Trump made his return to X, formerly Twitter, saying, "election interference" and "never surrender" along with a mugshot of himself.
He also added a link to the post on X to his 2024 campaign website with the picture. In a message that appears on the landing page of the site, Trump wrote, "Today, at the notoriously violent jail in Fulton County, Georgia, I was ARRESTED despite having committed NO CRIME."
According to a report by BBC, his official campaign was selling T-shirts featuring the image. "NEVER SURRENDER," they read. Mugs and stickers are also available. The jail authorities recorded him as being 6 feet, 3 inches tall and weighing 215 pounds (97kg), with blond or strawberry hair and blue eyes. His inmate number was P01135809.
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Months before he was photographed in Georgia on Thursday evening, Trump's campaign used the prospect of a mug shot as a fundraising opportunity. For $36, anyone can buy a T-shirt with a fake booking photo of Trump and the words “not guilty.” Dozens of similar designs are available to purchase online, including many that appeal to Trump's critics.
