Donald Trump caused a stir online with a tongue-in-cheek comment about leaving the US to live in “a gold domed suite” with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
The former president posted the remark on Monday on his Truth Social platform, after his bond was set at $200,000 (around £156,800) following his indictment for allegedly scheming to overturn his 2020 election loss in Georgia.
Although Trump said he will surrender on Thursday in Fulton County, his post seemed to suggest that skipping the country wasn’t far from his mind:
The failed District Attorney of Fulton County (Atlanta), Fani Willis, insisted on a $200,000 Bond from me. I assume, therefore, that she thought I was a “flight” risk - I’d fly far away, maybe to Russia, Russia, Russia, share a gold domed suite with Vladimir, never to be seen or heard from again. Would I be able to take my very “understated” airplane with the gold TRUMP affixed for all to see. Probably not, I’d be much better off flying commercial - I’m sure nobody would recognize me!
Yes, Trump was probably joking.
However, since the order setting bond also bars Trump from intimidating co-defendants, witnesses or victims in the case, including with “posts on social media or reposts of posts made by another individual on social media,” it’s possible he was simply trying to provoke the court to see how much he can get away with.
Still, many users of Twitter — er, X — thought Trump’s comment about fleeing the US to hang with Putin was a bit strange under the circumstances.
Some people weren’t hating the idea of Trump going far, far away.
One person noted that leaving the US may not be the get-out-of-jail-free card that Trump — or TFG, short for “the former guy” — might’ve hoped.