Trump Glowers.
He had time to think about how he wanted to look.
Serious. Defiant. Angry. His head slightly down as if in a boxer's stance, protecting his chin, ready to take a punch and return the blow.
He has a a look of menace. After all, he plans retribution.
Trump must have considered a head-up-and-smiling pose. It was an option. It might have communicated a "I'm not afraid of you" stance. It is nonchalance in the face of one's enemies.
It is how Tom Delay handled it when he was arrested and charged with money laundering. Imperviousness demonstrates strength. Trump has slapped away opponents with a dismissive insults in the past: "Little Marco," "Sleepy Joe."
Trump went the other way. Trump is not dismissing opposition this time. He plans to crush it. Democrats aren't sleepy anymore. Trump says Democrats are powerful and at war, fighting dirty, doing election interference. Trump says that Biden and his allies including George Soros, the media, federal employees, the Deep State, the Department of Justice, RINOS like his former Attorney Generals, his former Secretaries of State, his former Defense Secretaries, his former National Security Advisor, his former Chiefs of Staff, his former Army generals, his former Vice President, current state and local prosecutors, the current Senate Minority leader -- heck, nearly everyone -- are tyrants out to get him.
And he won't surrender to them. I got seven fundraising letters from him on Thursday, the day he was arraigned. These tee shirts were on sale Friday.
Trump is good at this. Democrats have consistently underestimated Trump, especially in the arena of political body language. Democrats avert their eyes from the body language of Biden's age. Old men can embody and communicate wisdom and continuity, but not a bright new future. No matter how talented the actor, he cannot be cast as Shakespeare's Juliet. Nothing Biden says -- no Chip Act, no Bidenomics -- communicates a first-glance brand of new-and-improved. At best, the Biden brand means continuity. Repair, perhaps, but not new.
Democrats call Trump's lawlessness criminal. Trump is selling it as breaking the chains of a corrupt status quo. After all, Americans are deeply skeptical of their institutions. Trump says the institutions of media, all three branches of government, the CDC, so-called experts, and federal law enforcement are all corrupt and out to get him. Trump represents a new deal, hope and change. Trump has stolen the Democratic message.
Trump looks like he is going to fight for change, not just tinker and dither, so of course the oppressors are out to get him.
We will see more of this photo. If the 2024 election plays out as seems increasingly likely, I suspect Trump will present two photos to encapsulate the choice facing America. Democrats will complain that it is unfair and over-simple and false, which, of course, it is. But it is the Trump case to advocate and he will do so:
Trump's frame:
Versus
Trump didn't choose this pose. He had help. Acting coaches, make-up artists, hair stylists, wardrobe departments, optics advisers, political consultants and a week to rehearse shaped this image. All of them paid for by PAC contributions from moms and pops, just like my neighbors up and down the street.
For comparison look at Al Capone’s mug shots. In one he has a bemused smile. In another he wasn’t using a crazy comb-over to hide his balding head. In both of his, Al did not resemble a wanna be gangster. He was a gangster.