Donald Trump: From 45th president to prisoner number PO1135809

It was evening in America. At 7.35pm on Thursday, the front-running Republican candidate in the 2024 presidential election race walked into the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta, the capital of Georgia.

- Bhagyashree Garekar

WASHINGTON - He was arrested on charges that he led a scheme to overturn the 2020 election results in the state.

The 45th president became inmate number P01135809.

It was Donald Trump's fourth arrest in 2023 and the prelude to a courtroom drama in 2024 that will keep the country hooked and divided in equal measure.

The 77-year-old was fingerprinted and photographed in a police procedural mugshot, frowning angrily into the camera, brows beetled and lips pursed grimly.

His height and weight became a matter of public record (6 feet 3 inches or 1.9m, 97.5kg), racking up thousands of views on social media.

It was the first time that a former US president had his mugshot taken; it was not part of his three earlier arrests.

Some 20 minutes later, Trump walked out of jail, having posted bail of US$200,000 (S$271,300) in advance.

TV cameras followed his motorcade until he was back in his Boeing 757, with his name blazoned across the private jet in giant letters.

As the motorcade passed, people stopped and stared, local media reported. Many whipped out their phones to record the surreal moment. Some cursed out loud.

On social media, conservatives lent support, pledging that they stood with Trump. Others voiced their outrage.