LISTEN HERE:
Former President Donald Trump experienced the same procedures as any other criminal suspect when he was booked into the county jail in Fulton County. This included taking a mugshot, a decision that Fulton County Democratic District Attorney Fani Willis insisted upon. However, it seems that this move might not have gone according to plan for Willis and her fellow Democrats.
According to an NBC columnist, Trump’s allies saw the mugshot differently. They perceived it as an asset, a rallying cry for Trump’s party’s support, and a means to regain the White House. Shortly after its release, Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign started fundraising using the mugshot, selling merchandise like T-shirts, mugs, koozies, and bumper stickers, as reported by Mediaite.
Lara Trump, the former president’s daughter-in-law, expressed her belief that the mugshot incident would backfire on the Democrats.
She stated, ‘I think it’s going to backfire on them, just like everything else does.’ She predicted that the mugshot would become prominent, appearing on posters, in people’s dorm rooms, on T-shirts, and even as a flag flown by Trump supporters, emphasizing their love for the country and their support for Donald Trump.
Alina Habba, an attorney and Trump’s legal spokesperson, shares this sentiment. During an interview with Newsmax TV, she highlighted that people are not easily fooled. In fact, she claimed that the mugshot incident was one of the best things to happen to Donald Trump.
She spoke about his resilience in the face of attacks and cited his strong numbers on Twitter and his recent appearance on Tucker Carlson’s show. According to her, these events contributed to a tremendous week for Donald Trump, further affirming his strength and determination.
Interestingly, following his arrest, former President Trump appears to have gained sympathy from a crucial Democratic constituency: black voters. Numerous videos posted online depict Trump’s motorcade passing through impoverished neighborhoods in Atlanta on his way to be arrested for charges related to the aftermath of the 2020 election.
These videos seem to worry Democrats as they show hundreds of Black Americans cheering for Trump, holding signs and wearing shirts expressing their support for him. Many residents believe that the charges against Trump are baseless and that he is being mistreated.
One TikTok video on the X platform, lasting 45 seconds, showcases mostly Black bystanders enthusiastically reacting to Trump’s presence in their neighborhood. The caption reads, ‘What the media doesn’t want you to see. The people love Trump.’
As the video spreads, more people will witness this unexpected support for the former president. The genuine enthusiasm from these individuals challenges the dominant media narrative. It’s crucial to consider and reflect upon the impact of such grassroots interactions, especially within an electorate as diverse as that of Atlanta.
‘Free Trump!’ could be heard being shouted by several people in Atlanta. The city, predominantly Democrat, witnessed an interesting reaction with Black citizens expressing their support for Trump openly. This unexpected response caught the attention of individuals on various platforms, and many expressed their belief that this could backfire on the Democrats.
Along the street outside the Fulton County jailhouse, groups like ‘Blacks for Trump’ gathered to show their solidarity. Maurice Symonette, the founder of the organization, explained that their presence aimed to highlight what they viewed as Trump being treated unfairly.
During an interview with Rolling Out, Symonette was asked why he and others were in Atlanta to support Trump.
He responded, ‘I’m out here today because Trump is being treated like, what they would call, a n*****.’ When further probed about why he believed Trump was being treated like a black man, Symonette referred to biblical references and explained his perception. According to him, Noah’s three sons represented different groups, with one being the father of all Africans, another of all white Gentiles, and the other of black Hebrew Israelites.
Symonette distinguished his perspective by stating that he does not align with the Hebrew Israelites who display animosity towards white people or refer to them as the devil. His comments highlight a distinctive viewpoint held by some Black Americans who perceive Trump’s treatment as unjust and comparable to how black individuals historically have been treated.