Donald Trump says being booked into Fulton County Jail 'terrible experience'

Donald Trump, following his surrender to the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta, Georgia, acknowledged that being booked into the infamous prison was "a terrible experience" and expressed displeasure that the jail staff "insisted" he had his mugshot taken.

After his arrest for attempting to rig the 2020 election results in Georgia, the 77-year-old made history by being the first former president to stand for a mugshot, and later posted the picture on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, returning to the platform after over two years, Daily Mail reported.

Trump spoke to Fox News via a phone interview before his flight back to New Jersey and lamented the day's events.

"A terrible experience," he said. "I came in, I was treated very nicely. But it is what it is. I took a mugshot. I had never heard the word mugshot. They didn't teach me that at the Wharton School of Finance.

"They insisted on a mugshot and I agreed to do that. This is the only time I've ever taken a mugshot. It is not a comfortable feeling — especially when you've done nothing wrong."

He revealed to the media that his booking at Fulton County Jail was part of "election interference."

He added: "It was a very sad experience, and it's a very sad day for our country."

Trump, whose height and weight were recorded at 6ft 3 and 215lbs respectively, was released after spending less than 20 minutes inside the notorious facility. He was booked as "Inmate No. P01135809," and was released on 10% of his $200,000 bail.

The top Republican presidential candidate for 2024 elections said that it was 'an experience I never thought I'd have to go through,' stating it was his fourth time experiencing such a situation.

"In my whole life, I never knew anything about indictment, but now I've been indicted like four times. And all by the radical left. And in coordination, absolute coordination, with the Justice Department."

Trump went on to criticise Georgia prosecutors as "maniacs" and "vicious animals," stating he does not recall meeting many of the 18 indicted alongside him, which, however, is irrelevant to the charges.

"I don't even know that I've met a lot of these people — but some I do," he said. "And their lives are destroyed by these maniacs. These are animals, these are vicious animals that have destroyed the lives of these people."

While speaking to Fox News, he joked: "I hope you don't get charged. You'll probably get charged because I mentioned your name, so, but I think you'll be ok."

Former President Trump travelled from his Bedminster, New Jersey, home to Georgia, where he boarded a Boeing 757 to Atlanta. He arrived in Atlanta after 7pm and was driven 14 miles to the Fulton County jail.

Upon arrival, Trump was greeted with cheers from supporters and boos from detractors.

Trump spent 25 minutes in the decrepit facility where seven people have died in custody since the start of this year. He was processed quickly, with his height, weight, hair, eye colour, fingerprints, and booking photo recorded.

His bond money was paid, and he was back in his motorcade by 7:55pm on Thursday, en route to Atlanta airport.

Trump expressed sadness over his booking, stating it was a travesty of justice and that he and his team did nothing wrong.

Before boarding his plane back to New Jersey, Trump said: "This is election interference. So I want to thank you for being here. We did nothing wrong. We had every right, every single right, to challenge an election we think was dishonest."