Conservatives voiced their support for former President Donald Trump and reacted to both his now-iconic mugshot and sudden return to X, formerly called Twitter, after he surrendered himself into custody at the Fulton County Jail in Georgia.
Trump’s mugshot went viral soon after he was processed at the Fulton County jail on 13 charges stemming from Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’s 91-page indictment against him and 17 other codefendants.
Donald Trump Jr. warned the “Deep State” that Trump is “coming for you” while posting the stoic image of his father snapped earlier Thursday evening.
Hey Deep State - He's coming for you.
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) August 25, 2023
See you on January 20th, 2025. pic.twitter.com/Zhiagw4v7J
Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), who has endorsed Trump for president, wrote in a post on X, “Free Trump.”
Free Trump. pic.twitter.com/CR5s9XwJwf
— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) August 25, 2023
Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL), who is considered by some to be a potential running mate for Trump if he secures the nomination, weighed in as well, urging Americans to study the photograph and Trump’s eyes.
“Every American should look in his eyes and ask themselves, is this the country they want to live in?” he said. “We have a country to save. TRUMP 2024.”
Every American should look in his eyes and ask themselves, is this the country they want to live in?
— Byron Donalds (@ByronDonalds) August 25, 2023
We have a country to save.
TRUMP 2024 pic.twitter.com/k5dgwOCpgY
Turning Point USA Founder Charlie Kirk argued that Trump’s four arrests in the past five months “are only making Trump more popular.”
They are making Trump more popular.
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) August 25, 2023
Trump surrogate and Arizona’s 2022 GOP gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake wrote in a post on X that “It’s not a mugshot. It’s a rallying cry.”
It's not a mugshot. It's a rallying cry. pic.twitter.com/9VaIBb8XVh
— Kari Lake (@KariLake) August 25, 2023
Lake also retweeted Trump’s first post back on the platform, in which he shared the now-iconic photograph and a link to his campaign website.
We will never surrender!
— Kari Lake (@KariLake) August 25, 2023
Trump 2024! https://t.co/vjXoliR7S1
Attorney Jenna Ellis, one of Trump’s 17 codefendants in the indictment, noted that people were quickly “changing their profile pictures to their own mugshots, Trump’s, or a meme’d version in solidarity.”
“The leftists cannot ever break the will and good nature of WE THE PEOPLE!!!” she added.
I love how many people are changing their profile pics to their own mugshots, Trump’s, or a meme’d version in solidarity. 🤣
— Jenna Ellis (@JennaEllisEsq) August 25, 2023
The leftists cannot ever break the will and good nature of WE THE PEOPLE!!!
🙌🙌🙌❤️🇺🇸❤️🇺🇸❤️🇺🇸
“He’s the most photographed person on Earth,” wrote Daily Wire co-founder Ben Shapiro on X. “The mugshot was completely unnecessary and vindictive, of course. But it’s going to backfire dramatically, since this image is instantly iconic.”
He's the most photographed person on Earth. The mugshot was completely unnecessary and vindictive, of course. But it's going to backfire dramatically, since this image is instantly iconic. pic.twitter.com/msgEktyVYd
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) August 25, 2023
“You’ve overreached Washington, DC. You’ve unleashed it. See you November 5, 2024,” wrote fomrer Acting Director of National Intelligence Ric Grenell.
You’ve overreached Washington, DC.
— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) August 25, 2023
You’ve unleashed it.
See you November 5, 2024. https://t.co/4vH7voj0cw
Conservative filmmaker and commentator Dinesh D’Souza noted that some of the world’s most iconic figures, including Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi, have had their mugshots taken, which he says “can be a badge of honor.”
A mugshot can be a badge of honor. Solzhenitsyn had one. Gandhi. Mandela. And this guy! #TrumpMugShot pic.twitter.com/07Ni980ALc
— Dinesh D'Souza (@DineshDSouza) August 24, 2023
Conservative political commentator Savannah Hernandez thanked Willis “for the greatest mugshot of all time which finally led to Trump getting back on Twitter/X.”
Would just like to personally thank Fani Willis for the greatest mugshot of all time which finally led to Trump getting back on Twitter/X.
— Savanah Hernandez (@sav_says_) August 25, 2023
Good job, you played yourself and just quadrupled this man’s reach and popularity
The entire internet right now: 🔥
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) August 25, 2023
pic.twitter.com/zBVLSc6Dcs
Trump’s mugshot is so hot!
— Roseanne Barr (@therealroseanne) August 25, 2023
Others applauded Trump’s return to the platform, with prominent conservatives tweeting variations of “We are so back!” and “He’s back!”
https://t.co/MlIKklPSJT pic.twitter.com/Mcbf2xozsY
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 25, 2023
WE ARE SO BACK!!! https://t.co/jnkigifMRF
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) August 25, 2023
HE’S BACK https://t.co/uI11ifgyMo
— Drew Hernandez (@DrewHLive) August 25, 2023
HE’S BACK! https://t.co/dzle8ojIk7
— Alex Bruesewitz 🇺🇸 (@alexbruesewitz) August 25, 2023
He’s back! #MAGA https://t.co/Mo6zjIl0XS
— Lou Dobbs (@LouDobbs) August 25, 2023
We’re so back
— Jack Poso 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) August 25, 2023
Next-level https://t.co/E81JKWTJPS
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 25, 2023
He’s back.
— House Judiciary GOP 🇺🇸 (@JudiciaryGOP) August 25, 2023
😂😂😂😂😂 President Trump’s first tweet back on X. https://t.co/2wS83dfT7z
— Catturd ™ (@catturd2) August 25, 2023
"THE DON" Collection. https://t.co/83XkPVS2gV pic.twitter.com/Oei5CeaGl8
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) August 25, 2023