Trump mug shot might be used for 2024 campaign T-shirts, posters, hats

Trump mug shot might be used for 2024 campaign T-shirts, posters, hats

Former President Donald Trump may be considering using a mugshot from his arrest in New York as part of his 2024 presidential campaign, according to a new report.

Three people familiar with the situation told Rolling Stone that aides and advisers are pushing to release Trump’s booking photo for a fundraising drive and/or campaign merchandise, such as T-shirts, posters and hats. Trump surrendered to authorities Tuesday at a Manhattan courthouse, where he was fingerprinted and processed, including a possible mug shot.

“Heading to Lower Manhattan, the Courthouse. Seems so SURREAL — WOW, they are going to ARREST ME. Can’t believe this is happening in America. MAGA!” Trump wrote earlier Tuesday on his social media platform Truth Social.

Trump, who was impeached twice by the U.S. House but never convicted in the U.S. Senate, is the first former president of the United States to face criminal charges. He will be arraigned on multiple charges of falsifying business records, including at least one felony offense, centered largely on hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election.

However, if Trump does pose for a booking photo, the decision to release the mugshot may be up to him. Under New York state law, booking photos cannot be released unless police determine there is a legitimate law enforcement purpose to sharing the image, such as searching for a suspect at large.

According to Rolling Stone, that means the release of a Trump mugshot could be delayed until Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg hands off case materials to Trump’s legal term. Trump could then release it himself — or it could leak due to massive public interest in the historic case — and then use it for fundraising. (Trump’s fundraising team said it raised more than $4 million within 24 hours after a grand jury voted to indict Trump Thursday.)

Fox News host Pete Hegseth agreed with the idea on “Fox & Friends Weekend,” telling viewers that the photo could make him a hero, and be popular in dorm rooms like images of celebrities like Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Mick Jagger, Jimi Hendrix and Frank Sinatra. Presidential historian Douglas Brinkley told NPR that it could also make him like an “outlaw folk hero,” referencing John Dillinger, Billy the Kid and Al Capone.

“He didn’t commit to requesting the mugshot [yet], but he didn’t sound opposed to [these ideas],” a source told Rolling Stone.