A CNN reporter claimed that as the latest arrest of Donald Trump was unfolding, the former president was quietly “dissecting” news coverage of himself on his airplane.
CNN correspondent Alayna Treene reported Thursday night after Trump was arrested in Fulton County, Georgia on 13 counts brought by District Attorney Fani Willis. The 45th president became the first in U.S. history to have a mugshot – which quickly broke the internet as supporters and detractors alike reacted in real-time to its release.
But before he stepped into the historic moment, Trump and his team were allegedly trying to determine how he could look “defiant” in the mugshot as they scrutinized the ongoing media coverage, according to Treene.
“Everyone, hang on. I want to bring in CNN’s Alayna Treene, who traveled, with Donald Trump’s motorcade, to the Fulton County Jail, and has some new reporting, on his mug shot,” anchor Jake Tapper said on Thursday’s edition of CNN’s “The Source with Kaitlan Collins.”
“Alayna, what can you tell us?” he asked the correspondent who was reporting from Georgia.
“Right, well, Jake, the former President’s team had actually discussed, what they wanted that mug shot, to look like, prior to him going to the Fulton County Jail, and taking it,” she claimed.
“And the former President himself ultimately decided that he wanted to look, quote, ‘Defiant.’ That is something that his advisers have told me. And he chose purposefully not to smile,” Treene continued.
“Now, of course, you can tell that the former President and his team are taking a lot of attention to this mug shot. They’re sharing it. The former President just rejoined Twitter, also recently rebranded as X, to share that mug shot. And, I think, you can expect them, to fundraise off of it, as they have fundraised off of fake mug shot, in the past,” the reporter said.
‘HE’S BACK’: Trump owns the mug in EPIC return to Twitter, triggers libs https://t.co/YUo8VVXM2K via @BIZPACReview
— BPR based (@DumpstrFireNews) August 25, 2023
She went on to claim that “from my conversations, with them, also on the ground, here, in Atlanta, they were happy with how that looked,” before adding, “Of course, that is what they are telling us. There’s always a different picture, behind-the-scenes.”
Treene told Tapper and CNN viewers that Trump “has been frustrated.”
“I also know that Donald Trump, despite wanting to appear defiant, today, has been frustrated, about this process, was frustrated that he had to come, to Georgia, and go through another process, like this, yet again,” she said before going on to claim the former president had been “dissecting ” news coverage of himself.
“Now, some other reporting I have, Jake, is that Donald Trump, on the plane ride, to Atlanta, was watching a lot of those news shows, a lot of news coverage,” she said amid the background noise of airplanes.
“So, I’m still by the airport, where Donald Trump had just recently taken off, and is heading back to Bedminster,” she said. “But on that plane, on the way here, his team, as well as Donald Trump, was watching cable news coverage, of his surrender, as well as the debates, dissecting it, as they often do, on these trips. And he’s continuing to watch it on his way back.”
Trump shares NEVER SURRENDER meme with almost 20 guns pointed at his head https://t.co/jzd55z01aD via @BIZPACReview
— BPR based (@DumpstrFireNews) August 25, 2023
The reporter claimed the Trump team was “very tuned in” to the media reaction.
“And again, with that mug shot, his team seems happy with it. I’m still getting texts, from his aides, who are currently on the plane with him,” Treene reported. “There’s a reason that he is sharing this, repeatedly, on social media, and rejoined Twitter, in order to share that photo. And so, I think you’re going to continue to see them try to monetize, off of this, and get as much media attention, as they can, from that mug shot, Jake.”
Trump’s campaign team was on the ball and no sooner had the mugshot been released than a campaign email was sent declaring, “This mugshot will forever go down in history as a symbol of America’s defiance of tyranny.”
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