Shortly after former President Donald Trump was arrested and booked at the Fulton County Jail for the Georgia election racketeering case, his mugshot was released to the public.
It was a significant moment; Trump has been indicted and booked three other times prior to this, but in all of those cases, one in New York and two in federal courts, the mugshot was not released — making this the first publicly available image in history of a former U.S. president being booked in jail.
Reactions to the image came swift and numerous on X, the platform previously known as Twitter.
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Trump's allies, for their part, were quick to project defiance. "This is the photo that will win the 2024 Presidential election," posted Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA). "The American people will not stand for communism in America."
But others, including legal experts and commentators, had a different reaction.
"While the Trump mugshot is probably the most famous mugshot in American history…what a disgrace on the world stage for our country," posted former Mike Pence national security aide Olivia Troye, adding, "But it’s a big step again towards accountability…for the people and by the people."
Former Trump Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham posted, "I guarantee right now everyone on the Trump plane is telling him how tough, formidable & strong he looks. #TheEmperorHasNoClothes."
"Corruption colliding with consequences. #MugshotDay," posted former FBI official Frank Figliuzzi.
"I am become death, destroyer of political norms," posted MSNBC columnist Michael A. Cohen (no relation to the former president's one-time attorney and fixer.)
