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Supporters hold up ‘Never Surrender’ posters as Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at an event held by the national conservative political movement, ‘Turning Point’, in Detroit, Michigan, US. (Image: REUTERS/Rebecca Cook)
Former president Donald Trump’s campaign has alleged that he was tortured when his historic mugshot was being taken at Georgia’s Fulton County Jail in August 2023, during a 20-minute procedure while being booked for a criminal case
In a fundraising email, former US president Donald Trump’s campaign alleged that he was “tortured” while his historic mugshot was being taken at Georgia’s Fulton County Jail in 2023. But, there was no such claim of mistreatment at the time when he was being booked for one of four criminal cases.
Trump is now using this very mugshot to promote coffee mugs stamped ‘Never Surrender’. But, the businessman is being mocked online for his claims, as he never made any complaints back in August 2023 during a 20-minute procedure when he was fingerprinted and photographed.
According to a report published by The Guardian, the fundraising email said: “I want you to remember what they did to me. They tortured me in the Fulton County Jail, and TOOK MY MUGSHOT. So guess what? I put it on a mug for the WHOLE WORLD TO SEE!”
His ‘Never Surrender’ merchandise also includes T-shirts and bumper stickers among other items, and he has previously used the mugshot to generate funds; the fundraising email claiming torture was sent out on June 24.
The Guardian report said social media users are drawing comparisons with how Trump mocked political rival and former Republican senator John McCain’s real experiences of torture in the Vietnam War.
“Trump is claiming he was ‘tortured’ while getting his mugshot taken at the Fulton County jail. John McCain knew all about REAL TORTURE, unlike Trump who has NO IDEA what ‘TORTURE’ is or he would have REQUIRED Hospitalization…” wrote a user on X.
“Cry baby Trump now claims that he was tortured when they took his mugshot. Truth is he tortured us with that mug,” wrote another user on X.
Why Georgia, Why?
The Guardian report further said Trump faces 13 counts in connection with his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia. He had lost to President Joe Biden here last time and, this time too, it is a crucial state for him to win over.
The all-important Biden versus Trump debate on CNN on Thursday night (June 27) is also being held in Georgia, which is known to be one of the country’s most competitive swing states.
In the last presidential elections, Biden defeated Trump by 11,779 votes out of 5 million. This led to the state becoming an early victim of Trump’s claims of election fraud, which eventually led to criminal charges being pressed against him.