Trump’s mug shot spotted hanging in gold frame outside Oval Office
A framed mug shot of former President Donald Trump has been spotted hanging outside the Oval Office,prompting notable attention. The mug shot, taken in August 2023 when Trump surrendered at a fulton County Jail over election interference charges, was showcased in a photo shared on social media by Margo Martin, one of Trump’s aides. The picture of Trump was reportedly featured on the front page of the *New York Post* the day after it was taken.
This unusual addition to the West Wing decor was highlighted during a meeting between Trump and Indian prime Minister Narendra Modi and was later shared widely on social media, including by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino. Trump’s mug shot, which features a defiant expression, has been interpreted as a strategic move to energize his supporters, with political analysts suggesting it conveys strength and defiance.
After the mug shot’s release, Trump’s campaign capitalized on the media coverage, raising over $7 million through merchandise related to the image. This mug shot is notable as it marks the first time in U.S. history that a president has had a mug shot taken, making it a notably significant moment in the political landscape.
Trump’s mug shot seen hanging up in a gold frame outside the Oval Office
The walls of the Oval Office are adorned with portraits of presidents past, including the likes of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln, a fitting nod to the history of such a distinguished work space.
But one new addition, hanging in a gold frame in the West Wing, just outside the office, has caught the attention of eagle-eyed presidential enthusiasts — President Donald Trump’s mug shot.
The August 2023 picture was spotted in a picture posted to X by Margo Martin, Trump’s special assistant and communications adviser, taken during the president’s meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The mug shot is from when Trump turned himself in at the Fulton County Jail on charges that he interfered with Georgia’s elections. That case is in limbo while Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis appeals a Georgia Court’s ruling she be removed from the case.
On closer inspection, the framed shot appears to be a front page of the New York Post, from the day after the picture was taken. It can be seen over the shoulder of White House chief of staff Susie Wiles.
West Wing mugshot is peak Trump https://t.co/I0rlWsQ4rk pic.twitter.com/q6o7W5dcKV
— Christian Datoc (@TocRadio) February 14, 2025
Once the image began to go viral on social media, Dan Scavino, the White House Deputy Chief of Staff, shared a short video focusing on the picture.
Trump originally posted the photo on his X account on Aug. 24, 2023, with the words: “ELECTION INTERFERENCE NEVER SURRENDER!” He also posted a link to his campaign website, selling merchandise related to the mug shot. His campaign would go on to fundraise more than $7 million days after the photo.
The mug shot is the first time in U.S. history that a president has had such a photo taken.
Political strategists speculated that Trump’s defiant look in the mug shot was strategically used to energize MAGA.
“Trump’s mug shot expression tries to convey strength and defiance, likely a strategy used to rile up his base,” said Chad Hankinson, a political science expert at Virginia Tech. “The likely interpretation for them is that he is fearless, powerful, confident, and undeterred by efforts to undermine him.”
Outside of his first assassination attempt and the subsequent photo of Trump raising his fist, the photo is considered one of the most influential of his campaign.
The photo partly played a role in buoying Trump to the presidency after losing to former President Joe Biden in the 2020 election.
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