Trump campaign marketing 'Not Guilty' mug shot T-shirts to raise funds

NEW YORK: Donald Trump did not have his mug shot taken when he was arrested and arraigned at a Manhattan court, but his re-election campaign is using his indictment to raise funds by marketing T-shirts with a specially-created "Not Guilty" mug shot of the former US president.

Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection with USD 130,000 paid in hush money to adult film star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 US presidential election campaign.

Trump, 76, was arrested Tuesday and arraigned before New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan, as the global spectacle of the first criminal indictment ever of a former US President captivated audiences in America and around the world.

The former US president surrendered to the Manhattan district attorney's office on Tuesday afternoon and later appeared for his arraignment before Merchan where he entered the not guilty plea to the 34 felony counts in the indictment.

He was fingerprinted, like any other felony defendant, while he was in custody but he was not handcuffed and neither did he have his mug shot taken.

Trump and his aides are using his indictment and arraignment to bolster further support for his 2024 re-election campaign. His campaign claims to have raised more than USD 12 million since a grand jury voted to indict the former president last week.

Even though his mug shot was not taken when he was arrested, his campaign is using the opportunity provided by his arraignment to market T-shirts featuring his specially-created mug shot.

An email titled 'NEW ITEM: MUGSHOT" reads, "NOT GUILTY. Do you stand with President Trump, Friend? Please make a contribution of USD 47 or more to win in 2024 – and we'll send you your very own "NOT GUILTY" T-Shirt for FREE.

The T-shirt shows a mug-shot of a formally dressed Trump, with the words 'Not Guilty' written in all caps black font.

On the mugshot letter board is written "President Donald J Trump 45-47 04 04 2023." The numbers 45-47 refer to Trump being the 45th President of the United States as well as the 47th if he is re-elected in the 2024 Presidential elections.

Joe Biden is the 46th and current president of the United States. The date '04 04 2023' refer to the historic day he was arrested and arraigned.

"Soros believes that with his hand-picked D.A. – Alvin Bragg – having ARRESTED President Trump for committing no crime, they can bleed our campaign dry by dragging us through witch hunt after witch hunt," the email further said, referring to billionaire philanthropist George Soros and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg who indicted Trump.

"But what better way to PROVE that our campaign will never surrender our country to the Left's tyranny than countless grassroots patriots proudly wearing their very own 'NOT GUILTY' T-Shirts," the Team Trump email said.

"Please make a contribution of USD 47 to help our campaign continue to surge at this pivotal moment in our nation's history – and we'll send you your very own 'NOT GUILTY' T-Shirt for FREE," the email said.

Another email from the campaign signified the popularity of the Trump mug shot T-shirt as it stated: "Never has an item flown off the shelves of the Official Trump Store faster than our limited-edition NOT GUILTY T-Shirt'' ''But never has a President of the United State been ARRESTED – not for committing a crime – but for putting the American people first. Because our records indicate you are one of President Trump's top supporters, we've reserved a shirt just for you until midnight tonight,'' the email read.

''Please make a contribution of USD 47 by 11:59 P.M. to help our campaign continue to surge at this pivotal moment in our nation's history – and we'll send you your very own "NOT GUILTY" T-Shirt for FREE," the email added.

A post script adds: ''The only photo certified by President Donald J. Trump."