Former President Donald Trump Says His Mugshot is 'Number One of All Time'

Former President Donald Trump has declared his mugshot from his 2023 arrest as the "number one mugshot of all time," claiming it surpasses the fame of similar photographs of music icons Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra. The controversial assertion was made during a phone conversation with a group of prominent Black Republicans, including former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson and Florida Representative Byron Donalds, who were gathered at a barber shop in Atlanta, Georgia.

In the discussion, which was later shared on the social media platform X, Trump boasted about the impact of his mugshot on his support base. "It just beat Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra by a lot," Trump said, referring to the famous mugshots of the two legendary singers as per Ok Magzine. Sinatra's mugshot dates back to his 1938 arrest on charges of seduction and adultery, while one of the widely circulated images believed to be Presley’s mugshot is actually a military photo, as the 'Jailhouse Rock' artist was arrested twice during his lifetime.

Trump went on to emphasize the positive effect he believes the mugshot has had on his popularity, particularly among Black and Hispanic communities. "But that’s the number one mug shot of all time. It’s really an amazing thing, Since it happened, the support among the Black community and the Hispanic community has skyrocketed. It’s been amazing, really been amazing. You know, in one way, you say, gee ... not too bad. But the truth is, it’s really a lovely thing when I see that we have great support now in the Black community and in the Hispanic community" as per Raw Story. 

Trump’s comments come in the wake of his arrest in August 2023 in Fulton County, where his mugshot was taken for the first time. He was indicted four times in 2023, becoming the first former U.S. president to face criminal charges. His legal troubles include a range of charges such as racketeering, solicitation of violation of oath by a public officer, conspiracy to commit impersonating a public officer, conspiracy to commit forgery in the first degree, conspiracy to commit false statements and writings, conspiracy to commit filing false documents, filing false documents, and making false statements and writings.

Despite his legal woes, Trump has not suspended his campaign for the 2024 presidential election. In May 2024, he was convicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business documents related to a hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. This conviction made him the first ex-president in U.S. history to be found guilty of a crime.

The discussion also touched upon the broader political landscape and Trump's ongoing efforts to appeal to diverse voter bases. Trump's emphasis on his mugshot's notoriety and its supposed influence on his popularity as his strategy of leveraging media attention to galvanize his supporters. During the call with Black Republicans, Trump highlighted his belief that the arrest and subsequent mugshot have bolstered his support among minority voters, given the historical voting patterns that have generally favoured Democratic candidates.