Shower curtains, mugs & more: Trump mug shot merchandise now online
The mug shot of former President Donald Trump, released by Georgia officials Thursday night, was available for purchase online from independent sellers within hours on tote bags, flasks, baby clothes and even underwear.
A heart necklace for $39.99. A shower curtain for $44.99. A mouse pad for $14.95.
The historic image gave rise almost immediately not only to products offered by Trump's presidential campaign, but it also fueled a robust online marketplace, as sellers offered scores of products on online platforms like Etsy and CafePress.
The mug shot appears alongside other products offered by independent sellers that promote conservative efforts, like Trump's re-election, but it also can be found among the offerings from vendors selling products featuring typically liberal messages, such as supporting LGBTQ+ rights.
Trump and 18 others were charged in a sweeping racketeering indictment for alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia, where President Joe Biden was the winner. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges and has denied any wrongdoing.
Watching TV coverage of Trump's surrender at Georgia's Fulton County Jail on Thursday night, Genevieve Compton grew disgusted about his alleged crimes and disparaging remarks about some poll workers.
MORE: Georgia election case live updates: All 19 defendants have surrendered
Compton, an Ann Arbor, Michigan-based human relations consultant and a registered Democrat, turned to her Etsy business as a way to take action.
She found Trump's mug shot image online minutes later, drew up a couple of designs and soon offered two mugs for sale, vowing to devote part of the revenue to a voting rights organization, she said.
"I was so angered," Compton, who began selling other products on Etsy eight months ago, told ABC News. "I can do a lot of donating from the proceeds."
As of Friday morning, Compton said, she had sold 12 mugs featuring the mugshot. While modest for large vendors, the sales exceeded the total number of products Compton had sold over the last few months, she said.
Having observed the initial reaction to the mug shot image as it spread across social media on Thursday, Compton figured that her customers were a mix of Trump supporters and critics.
"There's this sense that some people are seeing this in solidarity with Trump," Compton said. "And some people are seeing this as this dude who did all of these horrible things and is finally being held accountable."
Alongside the mugs featuring Trump's mug shot, Compton sells a rainbow-colored pin with the word "ally" as well as another brightly colored pin that reads "love is love."
When asked about the incongruity of offering such products alongside an image of the Republican presidential frontrunner, Compton said: "There are a lot of people out there who are happy he's being held accountable – I'm in that group."
Chris, an Etsy seller who declined to provide their real name for fear of backlash but goes by that moniker on the site, said they started thinking days ago about plans to make Trump mug shot products.
"Anybody who makes merch always watches the news," the Chicago-area tech worker told ABC News.
During nearly five years as a seller on Etsy, Chris says they have offered beverage mugs featuring President Joe Biden, disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, and Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts.
"I knew when the mug shot was going to drop," they said.
On Thursday night, after finding a Trump mug shot image on X, formerly known as Twitter, and verifying its authenticity, Chris designed some mockup beverage mugs and posted the offerings on Etsy, they said.
MORE: Trump mug shot released by Fulton County Sheriff's Office
When asked about the importance of posting items quickly, Chris told ABC News, "It's just as important as it is for you to get the story out first. The quicker you get out there, the more eyes fall upon it."
Trump-related products typically sell well, Chris said, attributing their popularity to the enthusiasm of Trump's core supporters. "If you're passionate about your Marvel comics, you'll go to see every doggone movie that Marvel puts out," they said.
As of Friday morning, Chris had sold dozens of mugs, they said, adding, "The orders are still coming in. It's nothing to sneeze at."
After initially offering about six mug shot mug designs, Chris said they plan to double their available mug shot products by Friday afternoon.
Unlike Compton, Chris approached the mug-shot products solely as a business opportunity, they said.
"When it comes to making money, I don't care about people's political preferences. I don't see red or blue – I see green."
ABC News' Ivan Pereira contributed reporting to this story.
Shower curtains, mugs & more: Trump mug shot merchandise now online originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
