What do you do with a police mugshot of yourself? Well, if you are Donald Trump you post it on a social networking platform! The former president of the US, from 2017 to 2021, returned to the social media site X (erstwhile Twitter) recently with a post showing his mug shot after he was booked on more than a dozen counts at an Atlanta jail. The photo shows a scowling Trump who was also finger-printed and released on a $200,000 bond agreement.
The background
Trump's love affair with Twitter began innocently on May 4, 2009, with a plug to watch his appearance on Late Night with former host David Letterman. Soon he became a prolific user of the platform with 57,000 posts spanning more than a decade. Sometimes, he posted well past midnight and before dawn. But things only got progressively toxic and hilarious with every tweet. Trump was permanently banned from the platform after his supporters stormed the US capitol on January 6, 2021. Since then, Trump has launched Truth Social, his own social media network, and Twitter has changed its name when Elon Musk bought the business and announced intentions to transform it into a "everything app" called X.
Interestingly, on November 18, 2022, Elon Musk conducted a poll on Twitter asking users if he should reinstate Trump. The next day, he reinstated Donald Trump's Twitter based on the poll’s results. There were around 15 million responses, with 51.8 per cent said 'yes' and 48.2 per cent said 'no'.
Fringe ideas, insults and conspiracy theories
The police mugshot is not the first time Donald Trump has made a ridiculous, albeit outrageously entertaining tweet. Some of his personal salvos regularly hit the headlines enabling him to bypass the traditional media and communicate directly to a wider audience. Here are some gems from the annals of Trumpian tweeting:
May 18, 2012 – Floats the idea that Barak Obama isn’t American.
“Let’s take a closer look at that birth certificate. @BarackObama was described in 2003 as being ‘born in Kenya.’
September 2012 – On topless pictures of the Duchess of Cambridge on her honeymoon
“Who wouldn't take Kate's picture and make lots of money if she does the nude sunbathing thing. Come on Kate!”
October 2012 – Doling out relationship advice to Twilight actress Kristen Stewart and her then-boyfriend Robert Pattinson after she had an affair
“Everyone knows I am right that Robert Pattinson should dump Kristen Stewart. In a couple of years, he will thank me. Be smart, Robert.”
October 2012 - He fired off this missive on overweight people drinking Diet Coke
“I have never seen a thin person drinking Diet Coke.”
November 2012 - He called for global warming to warm up a snowy New York.
“It’s freezing and snowing in New York—we need global warming!”
November 2012 – Claimed China is making up global warming
“The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make US manufacturing non-competitive.”
May 2013 – Drew widespread condemnation for his insensitive comments about sexual assaults in the military.
“26,000 unreported sexual assults in the military-only 238 convictions. What did these geniuses expect when they put men & women together?”
May 2013 – Bragged about his alleged above-average intelligence
“Sorry loser and haters, my I.Q. is one of the highest – and you all know it! Please don’t feel so stupid or insecure, it’s not your fault.”
May 31, 2017 - No meme was left unsummoned after this one
“Despite the constant negative press covfefe.”
He soon deleted the tweet, but instead of pretending it never happened, he leaned into it. “Who can figure out the true meaning of 'covfefe' ??? Enjoy!" he said nearly six hours after the original tweet went out.
March 2018 - He even hit out at the Oscars and called himself the only real "star" left.
“Lowest rated Oscars in HISTORY. Problem is, we don’t have Stars anymore - except your President (just kidding, of course)!”
January 2018 – Warns Kim Jong Un
“North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the "Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times." Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!”
One thing is clear. Trump knows how to captivate people, how to command and divert the attention of the masses. Who will be his next victim? Only tweets will tell!
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