Why cops taking Trump's mug shot will be a big deal!

Following Donald Trump's indictment over alleged hush money payments, there has been much speculation about the details of his expected arraignment Tuesday, including the possibility of photographing his mug shot and its release to the public.

Trump is expected to surrender before the Manhattan court on Tuesday, after which the law enforcement agencies would take a mug shot of him as it is a mandatory procedure in all such arrests and surrenders.

If the New York police take his mug shot, Trump will pass into history as he would join a group of politicians, celebrities and sports stars whose police photo is part of their legacy. The celebrity list includes O.J. Simpson, Jane Fonda and John Edwards whose photograph was taken when they were arrested.

Trump was indicted last Thursday by a federal grand jury in connection with USD 1,30,000 hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels before the US presidential election in 2016 to cover up an alleged affair.

"We'll have a mug shot. For the record, it will be the most masculine, most handsome mug shot of all time," Hogan Gidley, former White House Deputy Press Secretary and his campaign spokesperson, told The Time magazine in an interview. "I can say that definitely, before having even seen it," he said.

The booking photo of Trump may not be made public unless he decides to release it. Many political analysts said that the mug shot might be used as a political tool.

Alan Dershowitz, a former Harvard Law School professor, said during interviews with multiple news outlets last week that Trump should put his booking photo on T-shirts and posters and sell them to support his 2024 presidential campaign, The Union newspaper reported.

Media reports said Trump is expected to be charged on 30 counts.

With inputs from PTI