Donald Trump appears to be enjoying himself as he markets merchandise that prominently showcases his police mugshot, typically reserved for criminal identification purposes.
As part of a new promotion for his non-fungible token (NFT) product, which he unveiled late last year, the former president gave away pieces of his suit when he took his mugshot.
‘Mugshot’ NFT card sales
Trump announced on his social media that he had launched trading cards featuring his mugshot. He said, “If you buy 47 cards, you can own a piece of the suit I wore for the mugshot.” Some cards include his handwritten signature, and the package includes a dinner with him at his club and accommodations in Palm Beach, Florida.
The NFT trading cards cost $99 each, and to receive a piece of the suit, one must buy a total of 47 cards worth $4653. In a video, he promoted, “It was a great suit. Trust me. The suit has been cut up, and you will get a piece.”
Trump is the first former and current U.S. president to have taken a mugshot. Indicting him, they accused him of pressuring him to overturn the 2020 election results. In August, he appeared at the Fulton County Jail in Georgia, underwent the arrest procedure, and took a mugshot.
‘Symbol of Resistance’ Mugshot
Producing goods to raise election funds
Despite its humiliating nature, Trump has managed to turn this mugshot into a symbol of defiance. He initiated the sale of “mugshot merchandise.” This includes T-shirts and coffee mugs through his online store associated with his 2024 presidential campaign fundraising platform. The T-shirts, adorned with his mugshot and the slogan “Never Surrender!” have gained significant popularity.
As a result, the Trump election camp promoted a 24-hour fundraising record by raising $4.18 million in election funds in 24 hours. Reports indicated they raised $20 million through goods sales and donations in three weeks.
In March of last year, New York City authorities filed criminal charges against Trump in connection with hush money allegations tied to accusations of sexual harassment. This event was noteworthy as it represented the inaugural instance where a former or sitting U.S. president had been subjected to such charges. Curiously, no official mugshot was captured in this case. Intriguingly, Trump went a step further and manufactured and marketed T-shirts that showcased a fake mugshot.
He uses the mugshot to symbolize resistance, defining various suspicions and indictments against him as the Biden administration’s “removal of enemies” and “political actions.”
Leading Republican support
Controversy over dictator remarks
Meanwhile, with just over a month left until the Republican presidential primary, Trump is leading the race, garnering more than half of the support and overwhelming other candidates. In a poll of 1,689 Republican supporters about presidential candidates conducted by Ipsos and Reuters from the 5th to the 11th, Trump came in first with a 61% approval rating.
President Biden, who is seeking re-election, criticized Trump as an existential threat to America and “The biggest threat is to democracy.”
Recently, at a Republican event on the 9th, Donald Trump sparked a heated debate. If re-elected as president, he declared his intention to adopt dictatorial powers starting on the first day of his new term.
By. Sung Wook Kim
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