Donald Trump, who on Tuesday became the first former U.S. president to be charged with a criminal offense, is looking to generate some cash from supporters by selling T-shirts with a fake mug shot.
Trump was arraigned in New York and charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, in connection with alleged hush-money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels, Playboy model Karen McDougal and a former Trump Tower doorman. The ex-president and TV personality pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Trump was not expected to have his mug shot taken after he surrendered to authorities in Manhattan. But that didn’t stop Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign from trying to cash in on the unprecedented arrest and indictment.
Shortly before Trump’s arraignment in New York at the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse, the Trump campaign’s official online store listed a T-shirt for sale for $36 (not including shipping fees) showing what seems to be a mug shot of Trump above the words “Not Guilty.” The listing is labeled “Official Trump Mugshot White Cotton T-Shirt,” with no indication that it’s not in fact an actual mug shot taken by law enforcement officials. Below Trump’s name in the faked mug shot are “45-47,” a reference to his status as the 45th U.S. president and his interest in reoccupying the White House at the 47th.
In the days leading up to his arrest and arraignment, the Trump 2024 campaign had already been soliciting donations by trying to stir outrage over the situation. “The Radical Left – the enemy of the hard-working men and women of this country – have INDICTED me in a disgusting witch hunt,” says text on Trump’s reelection site, which urges supporters to contribute money to the campaign.
Meanwhile, other possible charges against Trump are pending, including an investigation into the former president’s involvement with the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection. The investigation concluded in December 2022, with the January 6th Committee referring potential criminal charges to the Department of Justice.
Trump — who has repeatedly and falsely claimed he won the 2020 election — was kicked off major internet platforms in the wake of the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. Last fall Elon Musk reinstated Trump’s Twitter account. More recently Meta allowed him back on Facebook and Instagram. YouTube lifted its suspension of Trump’s channel last month, with the video platform saying “the chance for voters to hear equally from major national candidates in the run-up to an election” outweighed risks of real-world violence. Trump has claimed he will remain exclusively on Truth Social, the Twitter-copycat app launched a year ago by Trump Media & Technology Group.
