Former U.S. President Donald Trump could potentially capitalize on his recent mugshot by featuring it on campaign merchandise, according to a report by Business Insider.
What Happened: Trump faced a series of indictments this year, culminating in a case from the Fulton County DA’s office.
It’s this case, alleging Trump and 18 others created a criminal enterprise to overturn Georgia’s 2020 election results, that resulted in the mugshot Trump has reportedly been eager for. Trump’s arrest and arraignment in Manhattan marked a historic first for a former President.
The New York Times previously reported that Trump appreciated the spectacle of a public arrest and even contemplated posing for his mugshot. Following his initial indictment in New York, the Trump campaign released a t-shirt featuring a faux mugshot with the words “NOT GUILTY”.
According to Rolling Stone, Trump’s advisors were enthusiastic about using the real mugshot on campaign merchandise as part of a fundraising effort for the 2024 campaign. Now that the public mugshot is available, it’s possible the previous faux mugshot will be replaced with the real one.
The Trump team has already started a fundraising campaign based on the Georgia indictment. An hour after his mugshot was released, it was used in a fundraising plea on his website.
Why It Matters: Prior to his arrest, Trump’s legal team struck a $200,000 bond deal with the Fulton County District Attorney’s office.
After his booking experience at a Georgia jail, which Trump described as “terrible”, the former President shared his mugshot on Elon Musk’s platform, X, and his personal website as a means of driving donations for his presidential campaign.
Trump’s willingness to leverage his legal struggles for fundraising purposes indicates a strategic approach to the controversy surrounding his indictment.
In the wake of his legal challenges, Trump continues to maintain his innocence and use the spectacle of his arrest to rally support for his potential 2024 campaign.
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