The Conversation (0)
Ariana Baio
Apr 04, 2023
Former US president Donald Trump arrives at Manhattan court
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Donald Trump’s team is finding creative ways to capitalise on the former president’s indictment and arraignment.
Since a grand jury chose to indict Trump last week, the former president’s supporters received emails asking for donations in the fight against the “deep state.”
On the Trump Save America website, a message from the former president reads, “I knew the price I’d have to pay for running a campaign that promised to take on the Deep State, the Open Borders Lobby, global special interests, and the Soros Money Machine.”
It proceeds to ask supporters for donations to his campaign.
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But the Trump team decided to take a different approach, asking supporters to purchase a t-shirt with a fake Trump mugshot on it in the hours surrounding Trump’s surrender.
On social media, screenshots of emails people received advertising Trump’s mugshot photo went viral.
\u201cNEW: Donald Trump\u2019s campaign team is working on cashing in on his indictment, sending out multiple fundraising emails advertising a Trump mugshot t-shirt with the words \u201cNOT GUILTY\u201d on it. \n\nThe shirt comes \u201cFREE\u201d if you pay them $47 or more. \n\nWill you be buying one?\u201d— Proud Elephant \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83e\udd85 (@Proud Elephant \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83e\udd85) 1680633880
Alan Dershowitz, a lawyer who previously defended Trump during his first impeachment trial in 2020, told Newsmax he recommended the mugshot idea.
“I said, I have a suggestion, ‘why don’t you invest in t-shirt companies that will make your mugshot, if you have a mugshot, the best-selling t-shirt in the country,’” Dershowitz said.
He used Frank Sinatra’s mugshot poster as an example of using famous mugshots on merchandise.
However, Trump will likely not have a mugshot taken as he is booked.
Although he will be fingerprinted and given a New York State Identification number, the former president does not need a mugshot because he is a public figure.
Since his image is widely available, the need for a mugshot becomes obsolete as they are most often used by law enforcement to identify an individual. Additionally, since the former president surrendered he will not be in a location where mugshots are able to be taken.
\u201cWell they\u2019re already selling a Trump Mugshot shirt\u201d— Khalifa Haftar \ud83c\udd49 (@Khalifa Haftar \ud83c\udd49) 1680631895
But the lack of a real mugshot is not a problem for the Trump t-shirt team.
The mugshot t-shirt features a photo of Trump, photoshopped to appear as a mugshot with the words “not guilty” written on it.
Despite Trump being 6’3” it also has the former president standing at 6’5.”
It is available through Trump’s store for $36.
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