Which is better: “The Con-Artist was President” (2023) by Fulton County Jail featuring Donald Trump, or “The Artist is Present” (2010) by Marina Abramović? (screenshot Rhea Nayyar/Hyperallergic via @mlobelart on Instagram)

The world was waiting with bated breath for the release of Donald Trump’s mug shot after he was arrested at Fulton County Jail for felony charges over alleged attempts to overthrow the 2020 election results in the state of Georgia. The long-anticipated photo graced the internet Thursday night, August 24, setting both conservative and liberal spheres ablaze with immediate merchandising opportunities, strong emotions, and confirmation of the general un-seriousness of American politics by the way of memes — so let us ring in this historic moment with a curation of the finest.

Trump’s chin-to-chest “Kubrick stare” from the recesses beneath his brow ridge is a far cry from his benign appearance in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992). I’m not a fan of horror movies, though, so can someone wake me up when this is over?

Cry-Baby Chloe points out how the side character from Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) star has adopted a darker cinematic look to fit the times (screenshot Rhea Nayyar/Hyperallergic via X)

Before our heads float off with all of the Orange is the New Black jokes that could be made, let me just sober everyone up with the fact that the real meme is the way we’re being trolled by the Trump administration years later with a side of American art history, as Chicago economics student Joshua Doss pointed out in his brilliant TikTok likening the release of the mug shot to the reception of Grant Woods’s “American Gothic” (1930):

@appliedscience11

Trumps mug shot will be like Grant Woods American Gothic. Product of one of my incoherent rants that @Garrison Hayes @DonnellWrites @Raven Schwam-Curtis had to suffer through at the dinner table #trumpmugshot #chicago

♬ fukumean – Gunna

One tidbit sending the internet roaring is the fact that Trump self-reported his hair color as “strawberry blonde.” The early 2000s told us that blondes have more fun, and what better proof is out there than this?

The bottle-blonde trifecta became the fare-haired foursome last night as Pearlmania500’s wife pointed out (screenshot Rhea Nayyar/Hyperallergic via Tumblr (lol))

Speaking of blondes having more fun, here’s an obligatory Barbie movie meme, because why not beat a dead horse?

Me if replying “slayyy” to every message on Slack was illegal (screenshot Rhea Nayyar/Hyperallergic via @its_menieb on X)

One important perspective that we must not forget to represent is that of the brave Logitech webcam that had to capture Trump’s photo. (Between this mug shot and the game controller used on the imploded Titan submersible, it’s been a strange year for Logitech’s public relations team, hasn’t it?)

@rosa.cyr

This video was made using a 2007 logitech webcam . #logitech

♬ original sound – Footasylum

Makes me wonder how many times Trump has told the women and girls around him to smile … Though I wouldn’t call the Toddler Tantrum Grimace inherently threatening, either.

Trump gets a dose of the patriarchy when being told to smile upon his arrest (screenshot Rhea Nayyar/Hyperallergic via @krassenstein on X)

POV: You moved to Bushwick … Sorry, Sock.

Their eyes actually become lasers when you redeem your punch card. (screenshot Rhea Nayyar/Hyperallergic via @northwest_mcm_wholesale on Instagram)

On the other hand, this is the quintessential lead-poisoned Long Islander death stare that screams “This place is turning into Queens!”

*cries from my childhood bedroom at my parents’ house* (screenshot Rhea Nayyar/Hyperallergic via @dmtrubman on X)

The mug shot edits are also pouring in … I don’t feel the need to show the drag edits as I think they’re low-hanging fruit, but let me put some respect on Donna Wintour with her signature bob:

@ken0bis ♬ original sound – kat ⋆｡☾

Architecture firm team page or nightmare blunt rotation? (Hint: it’s both.)

When the comments are as good as the meme itself (screenshot Rhea Nayyar/Hyperallergic via @dank.lloyd.wright on Instagram)

Me: I’m sick of online dating, I need to meet someone in real life …
The people in real life:

Nightmare fuel courtesy @nagy_minaj (screenshot Rhea Nayyar/Hyperallergic via X)

And in a moment of seriousness to punctuate this round-up of repostable memes and talking points, we must remind you that Fulton County Jail is currently being investigated for severe overcrowding, rampant bedbug infestations, and six inmate deaths in 2023 alone while a vast majority of inmates have yet to be tried or cannot afford to post bail. The former president was in and out of the jail within 20 minutes, but the rest of the prisoners, 87% of whom are Black, are being held indefinitely in inhumane if not deadly conditions.