Former US President Donald Trump Shares His Own Mug Shot Taken in Jail

The tweet was Trump's first since his account was reinstated by Elon Musk last year.

As one of his last acts in office, President Donald Trump has pardoned former White House aide Steve Bannon. Image used for representation.

(Photo: PTI)

Former US President Donald Trump broke his months-long silence on X (formerly Twitter) in the most unprecedented manner.

Tell me more: Trump posted a mug shot of himself that was first released by Atlanta's Fulton County Jail on Thursday evening, 24 August, according to a report by Reuters.

• His surrender was in connection with the Georgia election case, in which Trump is accused of trying to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election – which he lost.

• He was booked on more than a dozen felony charges, the report said.

Of note: The former president was assigned an inmate number and reportedly spent a total of 20 minutes in jail.

Yes, but: He was released after posting a $200,000 bond, after which Trump headed back to his New Jersey golf club.

Why it matters: Trump is the first former US president to face criminal charges and have his mug shot captured. The tweet, which appealed for donations along with a message, was Trump's first since his account was restored by Elon Musk last year.

Flashback: Trump's Twitter handle had been "permanently" blocked because he allegedly incited his supporters to break into the US Capitol building on 6 January 2021.

"What has taken place here is a travesty of justice [...] I did nothing wrong, and everybody knows it," Trump was quoted as saying by Reuters after his release.

Some context: In the Georgia case, Trump has been accused of attempting to reverse the 2020 presidential election results by making "fake electors" certify him, instead of Biden, as the winner of the state.

Trump's legal woes don't stop at Georgia as he is currently facing 91 criminal counts in total, as per Reuters.

• In Manhattan, he is accused of falsifying business records to hide hush money payments to a porn star.

• In Washington and Miami, Trump is facing federal charges for allegedly keeping classified documents with him even after he left the White House.

For the record, Trump had pleaded not guilty in the Georgia election conspiracy case.

What next: Despite the serious allegations levelled against the 77-year-old, Donald Trump is reportedly in the running to become the Republican nominee for the US president.

• While the trial date in the Georgia case hasn't been decided yet, the US presidential elections are set to take place in November 2024.