Trump campaign says it raised $7.1m after mugshot

Published August 28, 2023
T-shirts and hats with an image depicting the mugshot of former US president Donald Trump are pictured after being printed at the Y-Que printing store in Los Angeles. — Reuters
T-shirts and hats with an image depicting the mugshot of former US president Donald Trump are pictured after being printed at the Y-Que printing store in Los Angeles. — Reuters

WASHINGTON: Donald Trump’s presidential campaign said on Sunday that it has raised $7.1 million since the Republican billionaire’s mug shot was released after he was booked on racketeering and conspiracy charges at a Georgia jail this week.

The campaign had quickly embraced the scowling image of the former president — the first mug shot of a serving or former US leader — as the symbol of his bid to take back the White House in 2024.

“Close to $20m raised in the last 3 weeks, coinciding with the DC indictment and Atlanta mugshot,” campaign spokesman Steven Cheung confirmed.

“$7.1m since Thursday (Atlanta mugshot). $4.18m yesterday alone, the highest grossing day of the entire campaign,” he continued.

“Organic money has skyrocketed, especially after President Trump tweeted out the picture along with the website.”

On X, formerly known as Twitter, Cheung urged US media to “Please continue to show it,” and included what he said was a high-resolution version of the image.

T-shirts, mugs, stickers and beverage coolers bearing the mug shot — arguably now the most famous in US history — were put out by Trump’s team within hours of the photo’s release.

Notably absent from the merchandise is the local sheriff’s badge watermark that appeared in the image released by authorities. While such a photo would surely sink any other political candidate, for 77-year-old Trump it plays into his narrative of a defiant, heroic victim.

Published in Dawn, August 28th, 2023

Opinion

Editorial

Smog hazard
Updated 05 Nov, 2024

Smog hazard

The catastrophe unfolding in Lahore is a product of authorities’ repeated failure to recognise environmental impact of rapid urbanisation.
Monetary policy
05 Nov, 2024

Monetary policy

IN an aggressive move, the State Bank on Monday reduced its key policy rate by a hefty 250bps to 15pc. This is the...
Cultural power
05 Nov, 2024

Cultural power

AS vital modes of communication, art and culture have the power to overcome social and international barriers....
Disregarding CCI
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Disregarding CCI

The failure to regularly convene CCI meetings means that the process of democratic decision-making is falling apart.
Defeating TB
04 Nov, 2024

Defeating TB

CONSIDERING the fact that Pakistan has the fifth highest burden of tuberculosis in the world as per the World Health...
Ceasefire charade
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Ceasefire charade

The US talks of peace, while simultaneously arming and funding their Israeli allies, are doomed to fail, and are little more than a charade.