Trump campaign marketing 'Not Guilty' mug shot T-shirts of ex-president to raise funds
New York (PTI): 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."
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Centre spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print media ads for RSS centenary, reveals RTI
New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Culture allegedly spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print advertisements marking the 100-year celebrations of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), according to a Right to Information (RTI) reply.
The information was sought by RTI activist Ajay Basudev Bose, who filed an application seeking details on expenditure incurred by the ministry for advertisements commemorating the RSS centenary.
Bose shared a picture of the reply from the ministry on his official ‘X’ handle.
“It is informed that an amount of Rs 76,13,129 has been spent on advertisement given in various print media by the Ministry of Culture on the occasion of the completion of 100 years of RSS,” the government’s reply stated.
RTI reply shows Min of Culture Govt of India spent a Whopping Rs 76L,13K,129 on Advertisement in Print Media on occasion of 100 yrs of #RSS
— AJAY Basudev Bose (@AjayBos93388306) April 16, 2026
When Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??@RSSorg… pic.twitter.com/dW4IUtdNCg
Bose questioned the expenditure in the post X, “when Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??”
Reacting to the development, Karnataka’s IT-BT and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge also criticised the spending.
In a post on X, he asked why public money was being used for what he described as a “private ideological project.”
"Modi Sarkar spent Rs 76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS. Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to celebrate their centenary?," he added.
Why is public money being used to serve a private ideological project?
— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) April 16, 2026
Modi Sarkar spent ₹76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS.
Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to… pic.twitter.com/EoZ6Pim3IM
According to reports, the RSS describes itself as a volunteer-based organisation and has stated that it functions as a body of individuals rather than a registered entity.
Founded by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in 1925, the organisation is marking its centenary year beginning from Vijaydashami in 2025, with the milestone observed on October 2.
