Why you shouldn’t expect a Donald Trump mug shot — at least not right away

When former President Donald Trump is arraigned, he will be fingerprinted and potentially have his mug shot taken. But whether the photograph ever sees the light of day is another question.

On Tuesday, Trump is expected to appear at the Manhattan courthouse to face criminal charges related to alleged hush-money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels. Until then, the exact charges are sealed. Other details that remain murky include what will happen with the former president’s mug shot.

» READ MORE: Trump's indictment — what happens next?

Typically, the process calls for the defendant to be read their Miranda rights, taken into custody, given a booking number, fingerprinted, and photographed. But those photographs usually are not made public because of New York laws.

As noted by the Associated Press, state law discourages the release of mug shots in most cases. And because the case is so high-profile — marking the first time a former president has been arrested — sources told NBC that a mug shot may not be taken at all.

If a mug shot ends up being taken, it’s possible the photograph could leak. Trump could even release it himself as part of his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination. In the initial moments after Trump’s indictment, his 2024 presidential campaign was using the news in fundraising messages.

In the meantime, people on the internet can turn to these AI-generated fake images of Trump’s perp walk.