Former President Donald Trump became the first former U.S. president to face criminal charges last week, after being indicted in New York on charges for paying hush money to adult film star Stormy Daniels in 2016. Trump flew from his Mar-A-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida to LaGuardia Airport this afternoon. He exited his vehicle, waving to photographers, before hurriedly entering Trump Tower.
Trump exits his vehicle and enters Trump Tower. Can we get a camera on his condo to know what he's having for dinner too? pic.twitter.com/oeRWiYCMCe
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 3, 2023
Trump is set to be arraigned in court tomorrow on criminal charges, and the internet is having strong reactions to the news. While Trump still has online support from some conservative media personalities, GOP politicians and right-leaning voters, his critics have #TrumpMugShot trending on Twitter.
BREAKING: I gotta say, being a kid of the 90's the Trump Indictment reminds me a lot of the events around the OJ Simpson arrest and indictment. I sure hope it ends differently and the Trump mugshot is just as memorable.
This is certainly the start of a media frenzy around the… pic.twitter.com/KvqaB5ttOf
— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) April 3, 2023
Trump Tower pic.twitter.com/SeYJz0XBSh
— Bug,Stev (@BugdenSteven) April 3, 2023
Some are drawing comparisons between Trump’s arraignment and OJ Simpson’s arraignment. Both were high profile cases that received mass media attention, and involved previously wealthy and successful perpetrators.
Others are using PhotoShop to predict how the mugshot could look.
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Holy shit! I can’t believe #TrumpMugShot isn’t already a hashtag!
Please retweet it far and wide — let’s make #TrumpMugShot go viral!!! ???? pic.twitter.com/g514Pn6TQm
— Jon Cooper (@joncoopertweets) April 3, 2023
#TrumpMugShot side view pic.twitter.com/hAycTHAIEc
— AuntieTiffa NAFO OFAN Fella ???????? (@TifaAuntie) April 3, 2023
Leaked photo of Donald Trump’s fingerprints from his arrest ???? pic.twitter.com/PufC9m6DTf
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) April 3, 2023
In 2019, New York state amended their public record laws to exclude mug shots, meaning that Trump will certainly have one taken, but it may not be released to the public.
https://twitter.com/notcapnamerica/status/1643021092636831744?s=20
However, some feel that Trump may purposely order for the release of his mugshot to continue to drum up media attention. Allegedly, Trump was given the opportunity to be arraigned via zoom, but opted to fly to New York and be arraigned in person. J. Hogan Gidley, the former National Press Secretary for the Trump campaign, reportedly told Time that “we’ll have a mug shot. For the record, it will be the most manly, most masculine, most handsome mug shot of all time. I can say that definitely, before having even seen it.”
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“We’ll have a mug shot," says @JHoganGidley. "For the record, it will be the most manly, most masculine, most handsome mug shot of all time. I can say that definitely, before having even seen it."https://t.co/bnMTXlErdm
— Eric Cortellessa (@EricCortellessa) April 3, 2023
Mary L. Trump (@maryltrump), Donald Trump’s niece, has long been an open critic of his presidency and the Trump family at large. She took to Twitter today to criticize the mass media attention placed on the arraignment, believing that despite the transparent look at the former president, the coverage may do more harm than good.
Seriously, CNN? Do you need to show us Donald’s plane taking off?
The media should have learned its lesson after its failed coverage of the 2016 election when empty podiums and planes idling on the tarmac were deemed newsworthy.
Yet, here we are again and the media is making… pic.twitter.com/7N0dOQoYQu
— Mary L Trump (@MaryLTrump) April 3, 2023
Despite the evidence provided to support the criminal charges that Trump faces, several GOP members of congress continue to support him. Notably, Marjorie Taylor Greene (@mtgreenee) took to Twitter to claim that Trump was innocent.
On the plane to NY and watching CNN break down how other Republican presidential candidates should run against Trump (really bad advice by the way) and their shock about him fundraising off the Democrat’s morally corrupt witch hunt (MILLIONS bc people love him).
Amazing how much… pic.twitter.com/qwsksEoObp— Marjorie Taylor Greene ???????? (@mtgreenee) April 3, 2023
Greene’s statements were met with criticism from several celebrities, notably comedian and actor Michael Rapaport. Rapaport has been an outspoken critic of the Republican party since Trump took office in 2016.
Do Not Serve this animal any Pizza while in Manhattan
— MichaelRapaport (@MichaelRapaport) April 3, 2023
At this time, New Yorkers continue to wait on the edge of their seats for an arraignment that will change American history forever. A mug shot is yet to be released to the public, and this story remains ongoing.
