Never Give Up! How X Users Reacted to Trump's Mug Shot
14:13 GMT 25.08.2023 (Updated: 14:33 GMT 25.08.2023)
© AP Photo / Andrew Harnik
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Donald Trump became the first-ever former US president to have a mug shot taken after he surrendered at Fulton County jail in Georgia. However, the move, apparently designed to humiliate the ex-president, appears to have only boosted his popularity.
On August 24, Donald J. Trump of Palm Beach, Fla., the former US president who threw his hat into the ring of the 2024 race last year, was booked as Inmate No. P01135809 at an Atlanta jail in Fulton County over charges of allegedly seeking to overturn the 2020 election outcome in Georgia. The former president pleaded not guilty. In less than half an hour he left the prison being released on a $200,000 bond.
"They insisted on a mugshot and I agreed to do that. This is the only time I’ve ever taken a mugshot," Trump told a US broadcaster, adding that posing for a mug shot was "not a comfortable feeling, especially when you’ve done nothing wrong."
Soon after his mug shot was taken, the Republican presidential frontrunner posted the image to his Truth Social platform and later shared the picture on X (formerly known as Twitter) thus making a spectacular comeback to the platform after two years of absence.
Former US President Donald Trump was formally booked at the Fulton County jail in Atlanta, Georgia, on Aug. 24, 2023. The mug shot, taken in relation to his Georgia election interference indictment, marks a first as he hadn't previously taken a booking photo for any of the prior indictment proceedings.
© Courtesy of the Fulton County Sheriff's Office
Trump's mug shot has created nothing short of a furor on the Elon Musk-owned social media network. Remarkably, most netizens cheered the former president, whose post has got over 117 million views since it was published.
"Best mugshot ever!!!" wrote one X user while another one urged the GOP presidential contender to "never stand down" and "never give up".
Netizens react to Donald Trump's return to Twitter (X) with mugshot
Netizens react to Donald Trump's return to Twitter (X) with mugshot
Netizens react to Donald Trump's return to Twitter (X) with mugshot
Netizens react to Donald Trump's return to Twitter (X) with mugshot
Netizens react to Donald Trump's return to Twitter (X) with mugshot
Netizens react to Donald Trump's return to Twitter (X) with mugshot
It seems that a lot of conservative Americans remain skeptical about the Biden administration's narrative that Joe won fairly in 2020. In 2021, Republican lawmakers and non-partisan activists carried out their own investigations into purported election irregularities in battleground states including Arizona, Georgia and Pennsylvania, where Biden outperformed Trump by a razor-thin margin.
They reported about discrepancies and anomalies which since then have haunted the Dems despite Big Tech and Big Media smearing the stance as "election denialism" and "disinformation". Still, an August CNN poll clearly indicated that a whopping 69% of Republicans and Republican-leaners believe Biden's win was not legitimate.
"Both the Special Counsel second indictment and the Georgia indictment hinge on the premise the 2020 election wasn’t rigged and stolen? What if it was?" tweeted Indian-American political commentator and filmmaker Dinesh D'Souza.
Netizens react to Donald Trump's return to Twitter (X) with mugshot
Netizens react to Donald Trump's return to Twitter (X) with mugshot
Other X users signalled that they have no doubts that Trump will win in the forthcoming battle for the White House. Per them, the mug shot offers a new opportunity for fundraising.
The former president, who snubbed the first GOP primary debate earlier this week, remains an absolute favorite among Republicans despite piling up indictments against him. Per YouGov, he currently commands support of 62% of likely GOP voters.
Netizens react to Donald Trump's return to Twitter (X) with mugshot
Netizens react to Donald Trump's return to Twitter (X) with mugshot
Netizens react to Donald Trump's return to Twitter (X) with mugshot
Netizens react to Donald Trump's return to Twitter (X) with mugshot
Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, offered his own witty take on the unfolding political battle in Washington:
Netizens react to Donald Trump's return to Twitter (X) with mugshot
The reactions of netizens have proven the already acknowledged phenomenon: no matter how hard Trump is bashed by his opponents on both sides of the US political aisle, his base is standing by him.
