Former President Donald Trump found his joint fundraising committee engaged in selling products adorned with his own mug shot less than a couple of hours after departing from Fulton County Jail in Georgia.
After leaving Fulton County Jail at 7:55 p.m. on Thursday, Trump's mug shot was subsequently revealed. In remarkably quick progression, by 9:22 p.m., the Trump Save America Joint Fundraising Committee had already launched the sale of various items such as T-shirts, mugs, beverage coolers, bumper stickers, all featuring Trump's visage along with the inscription "Never Surrender."
The mugshot merchandise starts at $12 for a bumper sticker and goes up to $36 for long-sleeve T-shirts.
Additionally, the ex-president is using his recent surrender as a way to raise funds. In a fundraising email, Trump stated, "I bravely entered the most challenging situation to convey a single message for our entire movement: I will never give up on our mission to safeguard America."
Prior to capturing the mug shot photo, there were deliberations among Trump and his associates regarding the desired appearance for the mug shot. According to reports, the ex-president aimed to present a "defiant" demeanor in response to what he perceives as politically driven accusations.
In his first update on X, previously known as Twitter, after a hiatus of two and a half years, Trump shared his arrest photo.
Before stepping onto his flight destined for New Jersey, Trump informed journalists that both he and his co-defendants maintained their innocence, labeling the situation as "a deeply somber day for the United States."
Trump is accused of racketeering and election fraud, among other charges in the state of Georgia. He is joined by 18 co-defendants in this case, who were given until Friday noon to surrender themselves; nearly all of them have complied. Among Trump's co-defendants are notable figures such as ex-Mayor of New York City, Rudy Giuliani, along with his former chief of staff, Mark Meadows, and attorneys Sidney Powell and Jenna Ellis.
