Closing summary
In a lightning visit to Atlanta, Donald Trump was formally arrested after being indicted by Fulton county district attorney Fani Willis for trying to overturn the 2020 election, then released after posting a $200,000 bail bond. The visit to the county jail – a pilgrimage many of his co-defendants made this week – produced an image that will no doubt endure in American politics: his mug shot, the first ever taken of a former US president. Trump embraced the scowling portrait, even deploying it on Twitter in his first post since two days after the January 6 insurrection, when the platform temporarily booted him. That may be the biggest news of all. Trump used Twitter like no other politician during his successful White House run in 2016, and throughout his four years in office. We’ll be watching to see if he tries to repeat the trick as he runs for president once again.
Here’s what else happened today:
Willis asked a judge to start the trials in her case on 23 October – a speedy deadline that Trump is likely to fight.
But Kenneth Chesebro, an attorney who assisted Trump as he looked for ways to prevent Joe Biden from taking office, will go to trial on 23 October, after he asked that his case be resolved quickly.
House Republicans are running interference for Trump once again by announcing an investigation into Willis.
Mark Meadows, who was Trump’s chief of staff around the time of his election loss and was indicted in Georgia, wants his trial moved to federal court.
One thing we learned from last night’s Republican presidential debate (which Trump skipped): opinions on abortion access range more than one might expect among the candidates.
Updated
Donald Trump’s campaign is putting his mug shot to use wherever they can, but Chris LaCivita, a senior advisor to his presidential campaign, is warning other parties against using it:
🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨
— Chris LaCivita (@LaCivitaC) August 25, 2023
If you are a campaign, PAC , scammer and you try raising money off the mugshot of @realDonaldTrump and you have not received prior permission …WE ARE COMING AFTER YOU you will NOT SCAM DONORS
