Donald Trump’s unprecedented mug shot was unveiled on Thursday when he was charged in Atlanta with conspiring to overturn Georgia’s 2020 presidential election outcome. This was a landmark event as Trump became the first serving or former US president to undergo this booking procedure and had his mugshot taken.

Captured without a smile, inmate no. P01135809’s image, as identified in the Fulton County Jail records, was disclosed by Reuters. Trump, previously involved in three criminal cases, never had a photo taken like this before. On the day of the release, he shared the mug shot with the message: “ELECTION INTERFERENCE! NEVER SURRENDER!” on his Truth Social platform. This comes after Twitter banned him in 2021, post the US Capitol riot.

After spending a brief 20 minutes in jail, Trump returned to his New Jersey golf club. Before his departure from Atlanta’s airport via his private plane, he reiterated his stance that the prosecutions he’s facing are based on political bias. The Georgia charges against him include 13 felonies, such as racketeering, traditionally linked with organized crime. These allegations pertain to his attempt to sway state officials over his election defeat and to set up an unauthorized group of electors to challenge Joe Biden’s formal 2020 win.

In the sheriff’s office-released photo, Trump frowned into the camera, donning a dark blue suit, white shirt, and red tie. Following his arrest, the 2024 Republican presidential nomination frontrunner labelled it a “very sad day for America” and denounced it as a “travesty of justice,” maintaining his innocence and saying that he did nothing wrong. On his Truth Social platform, Trump shared the mug shot with the tag “Election Interference” and a link to his campaign website. The Fulton County Jail specified his measurements as six foot three inches in height (1.9 meters), 215 pounds in weight (97 kilograms), and his hair colour as “Blond or Strawberry.”

Since April, the billionaire has faced criminal charges on four occasions, foreshadowing a year of extraordinary drama. Amidst managing numerous court appearances and a new White House campaign, Trump skillfully avoided being photographed after each of his arrests. These incidents took place in New York, where he was accused of paying hush money to a porn star; in Florida, charged with mishandling classified government documents; and in Washington, facing allegations of conspiring to disrupt the 2020 election outcome against Joe Biden.

Interestingly, Trump’s apprehension followed his decision to decline participation in a televised debate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This debate featured eight contenders vying for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. Despite their lower rankings in polls compared to him, Trump remained the centre of attention. Notably, almost all the candidates, excluding just two, pledged their support for him as the potential nominee of the party, even if he ends up being a convicted criminal. This political landscape sets the stage for an eventful year ahead.