Former President Trump‘s mugshot elicited reactions of support from House Republicans, while Democrats condemned him and 18 of his co-conspirators as criminals.
Mr. Trump‘s scowling mugshot was released by the Fulton County, Georgia’s Sheriff’s Office Thursday night after he surrendered to authorities where he was arrested on charges that he illegally plotted to reverse the state’s 2020 election.
House Republicans proudly posted Mr. Trump‘s mugshot photo on their X accounts below glowing comments of the 45th president, who they said is unfairly targeted by a two-tiered justice system.
Many retweeted Mr. Trump‘s release of the mugshot photo on his own X account with his brief comments:
“MUGSHOT—AUGUST 24, 2023
ELECTION INTERFERENCE
NEVER SURRENDER!
DONALDJTRUMP.COM”
It was the first post on Mr. Trump‘s account since he was banned from the platform on Jan. 8, 2021.
SEE ALSO: Trump’s mugshot spawns merchandise frenzy
“Welcome back, Mr. President,” tweeted Rep. Eli Crane of Arizona. “The American people have your back.”
“He’s back!” said Rep. Alex Mooney of West Virginia.
“WE ARE SO BACK!!!” said Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, who later created a mugshot of herself.
“I stand with President Trump against the commie DA Fani Willis who is nothing more than a political hitman tasked with taking out Biden’s top political opponent,” she wrote with her mugshot. “Persecution, not prosecution.”
“STAND WITH THE REPUBLIC. STAND WITH TRUMP!” House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik of New York posted.
“LEANER AND MEANER THAN EVER! Make America Great Again! TRUMP 2024!!” said Rep. Ronny Jackson of Texas.
SEE ALSO: Trump arrested, booked at Fulton County jail in Georgia election case
“I stand with President Donald J. Trump,” said Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona.
“Stand with 45!” Rep. Michael G. Waltz of Florida said.
“This is epic!” said Rep. Claudia Tenney of New York on her X account above a video of another user who posted Mr. Trump‘s mugshot and described it as “beautiful” in an imitation of the former president.
Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida said on his X account, “Every American should look in his eyes and ask themselves, is this the country they want to live in? We have a country to save. TRUMP 2024.”
Rep. Billy Long of Missouri retweeted a post from a user working for Stephen K. Bannon’s Warroom who said, “Making Mugshots Great Again.”
Rep. Troy Nehls of Texas declared above Mr. Trump‘s mugshot, “The 47th President of the United States.”
Other GOP lawmakers called for defunding the prosecutors of Mr. Trump.
“DEFUND THE POLITICAL PERSECUTION OF PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP,” Rep. Andrew Clyde of Georgia said.
Mr. Trump was also fingerprinted at the time of the mugshot, a historic moment because it was the first criminal mugshot ever taken of a former president. He did not have his mugshot taken in any of his three previous arrests.
The Fulton County jail entered the former president’s personal information into the booking system and recorded him as having “blonde or strawberry” hair, blue eyes, a height of 6-foot-3 and a weight of 215 pounds. His inmate number was entered into the system as P01135809.
Democrats trashed the former president when his mugshot was released.
Rep. Bill Pascrell of New Jersey posted Mr. Trump‘s mugshot and his co-conspirators’ mugshots in a Tic-Tac Toe-like box. Emblazoned across the image are the words “The Rico Bunch,” a reference to the state racketeering law involved in the case.
Democratic Rep. Mark Pocan of Wisconsin said on his X account, “Trump says ‘never surrender’, as he…surrenders.” He added, “You MAGAts are so cute when you behave like a cult. (Nope, nothing to see here).”
“Delete your account,” implored Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York when Mr. Trump posted his mugshot on X.
“No one is above the law,” House Judiciary Democrats posted on their X account above Mr. Trump‘s mugshot.
Rep. Mike Quigley of Illinois posted, “No one is above the law — not even a former president.”
Rep. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts said, “How ironic the former president selling shirts that say ‘never surrender’—when he just did.”
Rep. Nikema Williams of Georgia posted on her X account, “POV the law applied equally to everyone even failed former presidents.”
The Trump campaign wasted no time to begin fundraising off the mugshot and “Never Surrender!” merchandise, including T-shirts and mugs, selling through winred.com.
Trump campaign senior advisor Chris LaCivita warned on his X account that campaigns, political action committees and scammers should avoid raising money off Mr. Trump‘s mugshot without receiving prior permission.
“…WE ARE COMING AFTER YOU you will NOT SCAM DONORS,” he said.
• Kerry Picket can be reached at kpicket@washingtontimes.com.