Trump mugshot should stay private, attorney says

An attorney for Donald Trump opposed the former president’s imminent mugshot being released, saying that it’s “not going to help anything” as he runs for re-election.

Following his indictment over alleged hush money payments, Trump plans to fly to Manhattan to surrender on Tuesday morning, where he’ll be arraigned, fingerprinted and photographed. When asked whether there should be cameras in the courtroom during Trump’s trial, Alina Habba, one of his attorneys, said she isn’t opposed to the idea.

When it comes to the former president's mugshot, however, Habba said that should stay private since he's running for president in 2024.

“I like transparency. I think that in certain situations, it's a good thing. I do have a problem with leaking of pictures,” Habba told CNN’s Don Lemon on Monday morning. “I think that because we're in a campaign, because he's the leading GOP candidate, it’s not going to help anything.”

When pressed by Lemon on the topic, she added that she doesn’t understand why it would be necessary, given that Trump is a public figure worldwide. Mugshots also aren’t public record under New York state law.

“Mugshots are for people so that you recognize who they are. He is the most recognized face in the world, let alone the country right now, so there's no need for that. There's no need for the theatrics,” she said.