Former U.S. President Donald Trump’s mug shot was released on Thursday evening following his booking at an Atlanta jail on a series of felony charges connected to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia.
The unsmiling image of Trump, labeled as inmate no. P01135809 in Fulton County Jail records, depicted him glaring at the camera, marking an exceptional moment as he was not required to undergo a photograph for his previous legal cases.
Seizing the opportunity, Trump promptly shared the mug shot on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as on his personal social media platform, Truth Social. His campaign website also prominently featured the image alongside a statement from Trump defending his actions and soliciting donations.
https://t.co/MlIKklPSJT pic.twitter.com/Mcbf2xozsY
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 25, 2023
Within four hours of posting, the post has already garnered 57 million views on X.
The release of the photo marked Trump’s return to X after being banned for his role in the events of January 6, 2021, when his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol. X’s owner, Elon Musk, reinstated Trump’s account later in the prior year.
After spending a brief 20 minutes at the jail, Trump departed for his New Jersey golf club on his private plane. On his way out, he maintained his assertion that the charges against him, including the present case, were politically motivated injustices.
He emphasized, “What has taken place here is a travesty of justice. I did nothing wrong, and everybody knows it.”
Trump’s legal predicament, spanning four cases, marks an unprecedented situation for a former U.S. president. Contrary to expectations, these legal challenges have seemingly boosted his popularity within the Republican Party. He currently holds a commanding lead in the Republican race for the 2024 White House bid against Democratic President Joe Biden.
Upon his arrival at the jail, Trump was greeted by a throng of supporters brandishing Trump banners and American flags. Notably, Georgia U.S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a steadfast ally of the former president, was among the crowd.
The released mug shot is anticipated to be widely circulated among both Trump’s opponents and his supporters. Some fervent backers, like Laura Loomer, a former Republican congressional candidate, expressed their intent to put the image on T-shirts, predicting it could become more iconic than the Mona Lisa.
In response to the unfolding legal situation, Judge Scott McAfee scheduled a trial date of October 23 for one of Trump’s co-defendants, attorney Kenneth Chesebro. The trial date for Trump and the other defendants remains pending. Notably, Trump’s legal team, led by Atlanta lawyer Steven Sadow, has requested a separate trial for Trump from Chesebro.
Facing 13 felony counts, including racketeering, in the Georgia case, Trump is accused of pressuring state officials to overturn the election results and orchestrating an illegitimate slate of electors to undermine the formal certification of Biden’s victory. He has pleaded not guilty in his other cases and vehemently denied any wrongdoing.
In addition to his legal battles in Georgia, Trump is confronting federal charges in Manhattan and Miami, adding up to a total of 91 criminal counts. As part of the ongoing legal proceedings, Trump posted a $200,000 bond and agreed to bail conditions that prohibit him from threatening witnesses or co-defendants.
During the first debate among Trump’s leading rivals for the Republican presidential nomination, Trump opted for a pre-recorded interview with conservative commentator Tucker Carlson, asserting that the charges against him were trivial and baseless.
