How Trump 'turned danger into opportunity' with prison profile photos

Having his prison record photographed may be a stigma for many, but Donald Trump saw it as an opportunity to reinforce his campaign message.

The Fulton County Sheriff's Office in Georgia on August 24 released a photo of former US President Donald Trump's jail records after he appeared on charges of attempting to sway the 2020 election in the state.

U.S. authorities have been taking prison records, or mug shots, since the 1800s to identify people accused of crimes if they absconded, failed to show up for court, or to aid in the capture of people who reoffended after their release. It is a mandatory procedure in the judicial process and is often considered a “stain” on the criminal records of those who are recorded.

Mr. Trump is the first former U.S. president to have his photo taken in a prison file. In 1872, President Ulysses S. Grant was taken to a Washington police station for speeding in his carriage, but the police did not take his photo for the record.

That's also why so many people are looking forward to Fulton County releasing a mug shot of Mr. Trump, who has escaped many legal troubles in the past and has not had to have a mug shot taken during his three previous prosecutions.

Experts say that although it is only a formality, the prison file photo has the potential to significantly impact the former US president, as opponents can take advantage of it to lower his reputation, even mock him during the election campaign.

According to Jonathan Finn, professor of media studies at Wilfrid Laurier University in Canada, "the power of the mugshot comes from the fact that it is a sign that someone has been arrested."

"For those who want to prove that Mr. Trump is a criminal, this image represents that. You're not going to get a picture of him behind bars, so the profile photo is the most convincing evidence," said Finn.

But Trump appears to have prepared for the "historic" photo. CNN , citing two sources familiar with the matter, said Trump's team discussed the prison file photo before it was taken. Ultimately, Trump decided he wanted to appear "tough" and deliberately did not smile for the photo.

As a result, in the published photo, Mr. Trump is wearing a suit, red tie, slightly bowed, looking angrily into the camera lens, lips tightly pressed.

File photo of former President Trump at the Atlanta City Jail, Georgia, on August 24. Photo: Fulton County Police

The photo then spread quickly across media outlets and social networks. Mr. Trump also immediately "turned danger into opportunity", posting the photo on Twitter, now social network X, with the message "Never surrender". This is the first time he has returned to this social network in more than 2.5 years.

His photo quickly received more than 380,000 likes, along with hundreds of thousands of shares and more than 80,000 comments.

Experts say Trump's use of the profile photo to aid his campaign is similar to the "defeat the challenge" tactic he used when faced with negative situations in the past.

"In today's politics, a photo can be a huge asset in raising money for a campaign," said commentator John Fritze from USA Today .

Before Trump showed up at the Fulton County jail, his campaign was selling its own prison file photo merchandise. There are signs that Trump aides will continue to use the photo to his advantage in the race for the Republican nomination.

"The file photo of a former president and 2024 presidential candidate will spread across the Internet and on the front pages of newspapers around the world. It could also become an iconic image for the history books. It is also especially suitable for Trump's ongoing campaign," said Laurel Wamsley, a veteran commentator from NPR .

Such a photo would energize Trump supporters and fuel baseless conspiracy theories that he was "the victim of a politically biased justice system," Wamsley said.

Former US President Donald Trump at a campaign event in Windham, New Hampshire on August 8. Photo: Reuters

Mr Trump's team may also see the photo as evidence that he is the victim of a "witch hunt", a term often used to describe the act of finding fault with a political opponent.

Lara Trump, the former president's daughter-in-law, told Newsmax that the photo of him will be "the most famous prison file photo in the history of the world."

“It will backfire on them,” she asserted. “It will be on posters in people’s rooms, on T-shirts. It will be on the flags of people who love this country because they support Donald Trump.”

On Fox News last week, Trump's attorney Alina Habba called Fulton County officials' insistence that he take photos of jail records an act of "self-righteousness."

"Clearly, you see a little bit of arrogance being expressed in Georgia when they say they're going to force Trump to take a photo for his record. The purpose of taking a photo is to confirm someone's identity when you don't recognize them or when you think they're a flight risk, and Trump is the most famous person in the world, the leading presidential candidate right now," Habba said.

Also last week, Fox News host Laura Ingraham put together a series of stories about Trump's impending impeachment and expressed skepticism about the usefulness or necessity of the file photo.

The hashtag "TrumpMugShot" has been trending on the social media platform X. Some allies, like Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, have even planned to take their own fake mugshots to show solidarity with the former US president.

“I stand with President Trump against Attorney General Fani Willis, who is nothing more than a political assassin tasked with taking down Biden’s top opponent,” Taylor wrote, referring to the Fulton County prosecutor who is leading the prosecution of Trump in Georgia.

"For Trump supporters, the photo will be seen as evidence that justice has gone wrong, that he is the target of the greatest witch hunt in history," Professor Finn commented.

Vu Hoang (According to NPR, USA Today, TIME, Boston Globe )

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