Not long after Donald J. Trump surrendered himself for booking at an Atlanta jail in 2023, he told a clutch of allies and advisers about his experience posing for America’s first presidential mug shot. Other defendants charged in the case had seen a series of unflattering booking photos released that looked washed-out, awkward and uncomfortable.
But Mr. Trump said he had quickly noted where the light was coming from in the room and knew how to best position his face, according to two people who recalled his remarks. He had shown potential facial expressions to aides in advance, one person recalled, and settled on a scowl. When the time came, he glowered and leaned forward. The camera caught a deep and defiant stare, his face half in shadow and half in light.
Imagery — and Mr. Trump’s mastery of it — played a vital role in powering his return to the White House. In many ways, Mr. Trump was not just a candidate navigating the 2024 race but the executive producer of his own political comeback.
“If you had to boil down his job description throughout his career, it’s basically that,” said David Kochel, a longtime Republican strategist. “He’s been doing it for 40 years — in politics, in business, in media. He’s one of the best we’ve ever seen.”
Other modern presidents have grasped how to create evocative images that tell stories. Ronald Reagan had his horses and cowboy hat. George W. Bush cleared brush. Bill Clinton pulled out his saxophone on late night. But Democrats and Republicans alike marvel at the savvy of Mr. Trump’s political stagecraft, crediting his years rising through the cutthroat tabloid culture of New York and as a television star on “The Apprentice.”
