Topics: News, Politics, Donald Trump, Crime
Donald Trump has already started selling merchandise after being officially arrested.
The former President was formally charged over alleged hush money payments to Stormy Daniels.
He's wasted no time in using a faux mug shot to get money for his 2024 Presidential campaign.
If you head to the Republican’s official website, you can purchase a tee with the photoshopped mugshot, which claims Trump is ‘Not Guilty’ for only USD $36 (AUD $52).
Advert
Additionally, an ‘I Stand With Trump’ t-shirt is available with the date ‘3/30/23’ placed underneath.
Trump was arraigned in New York and charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records concerning alleged hush-money payments to Daniels, Playboy model Karen McDougal and a former Trump Tower doorman.
However, he has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
While a mugshot wasn't taken, that didn’t stop Trump from becoming the poster child of defiance while cashing in on the indictment.
He even opposed the advice of one of his attorneys, Alina Habba, who told CNN that releasing the mugshot is ‘not going to help anything’ and that ‘there’s no need for the theatrics’.
However, John McLaughlin, one of Trump’s most trusted pollsters, shared with Rolling Stone: “We don’t have control of this. [However], if Biden’s ally Bragg pushes for the mugshot and it’s released to humiliate President Trump, it will really backfire.”
In the days leading up to his arrest, the Trump team had already preyed on his most loyal supporters for donations.
NBC News reported that the day after he was indicted, the former President had already raised USD $4 million (AUD 5.9 m), according to figures released by his campaign on Friday.
The Trump campaign said that more than 25 per cent of the donations came from first-time donors to the former President, which ‘further solidifies’ his status as the clear frontrunner for the Republican candidate for the 2024 election.
Trump also took to his social media platform Truth Social to call on his followers for donations.
He wrote: "If you are doing poorly, as so many of you are, do not send anything.
"If you are doing well, which was made possible through the great policies of the Trump Administration, send your contribution to donaldjtrump.com.”
Another investigation into the 76-year-old’s involvement in the January 6 Capitol attack is also pending.
