In an unexpected turn of events, Donald Trump's presidential campaign has reported a staggering $7.1 million surge in donations since the unveiling of the Republican mogul's mug shot. This candid photograph emerged subsequent to his apprehension on allegations of racketeering and conspiracy charges at a detention facility in Georgia earlier this week.
Seizing the opportunity, the campaign swiftly adopted the stern countenance captured in the image as an emblem of Trump's aspirations to reclaim the White House in the upcoming 2024 election.
Steven Cheung, the campaign's spokesperson, revealed to AFP on Sunday that an impressive sum nearing $20 million has been amassed over the past three weeks. This financial influx coincided with the unveiling of the District of Columbia indictment and the release of the mug shot in Atlanta.
Cheung noted, "Since the occurrence of the Atlanta mug shot, a remarkable $7.1 million has been secured since Thursday alone. Notably, yesterday's tally reached an astonishing $4.18 million, marking the most prosperous day in the entire campaign's history."
He further emphasized, "There has been a meteoric rise in organic contributions, particularly after President Trump prominently featured the image alongside the campaign's official website."
However, AFP could not verify these assertions independently.
In an appeal via X, formerly known as Twitter, Cheung implored the American media, stating, "Kindly maintain the image's visibility," and appended what he asserted to be a high-resolution rendition of the photograph.
Without delay, Trump's team released a range of merchandise, encompassing t-shirts, mugs, stickers, and beverage coolers, all emblazoned with this mug shot — now arguably the most iconic in the annals of American history. It's noteworthy that the merchandise does not retain the local sheriff's badge watermark, present in the initial image disseminated by authorities.
While such a visual disclosure would likely spell doom for any other political contender, for the 77-year-old Trump, it harmonizes with his personal narrative of being an indomitable, heroic survivor.
Remarkably, marketing experts have drawn parallels between this photograph and the iconic "Hope" poster associated with Barack Obama's triumphant 2008 presidential campaign.
Nonetheless, Democrats have also seized upon the mug shot, contending that it stands as a testament to the principle that no individual stands immune to the dictates of the law.
As for President Biden, he brushed off the incident, jesting with reporters on Friday, "I did catch sight of it on television. He's quite the handsome fellow."
