Trump Complains About Biden's 'Dark Brandon' Mug Video

Jul 22, 2023

President Joe Biden "capitalized" on former President Donald Trump's third criminal indictment by advertising a "Dark Brandon" mug, according to the ex-president's legal team.

In a Monday court filing responding to the Justice Department's request for a protective order in the January 6 case, Trump's lawyers claimed that Biden shared a "thinly veiled reference" to the indictment by advertising the mug as part of his presidential reelection campaign on the same day that the ex-president was arraigned in Washington, D.C.

An August 3 video posted to X, formerly Twitter, shows Biden drinking from a mug featuring an image of himself with glowing red eyes and "2024" lettering, with the president saying, "I like my coffee dark." The post reads, "A cup of Joe never tasted better," while a link offers the mug for sale as a $22 donation to Biden's 2024 campaign.

A cup of Joe never tasted better.Grab yours: https://t.co/4fbxCBQNPZ pic.twitter.com/s2qboyE7C1

Trump's lawyers claimed in Monday's filing that Biden's "media allies have campaigned on the indictment and proliferated its false allegations" just before including an image of Biden's post and complaining that the president was profiting off of the indictment.

"President Biden has likewise capitalized on the indictment, posting a thinly veiled reference to his administration's prosecution of [former] President Trump just hours before arraignment," the filing reads.

Newsweek reached out for comment to the Biden campaign and the White House via email on Monday.

Biden's post being included in the filing raised eyebrows on social media. Some suggested that the argument from Trump's lawyers was baffling.

"This, from Trump's filing just now, is pathetic," lawyer Robert DeNault posted on X. "How is this photo a 'thinly veiled reference' to the prosecution of Donald Trump? It's a joke about Biden drinking from a Dark Brandon meme mug. Trump's lawyers already turning a federal criminal prosecution into a clown show."

This, from Trump’s filing just now, is pathetic. How is this photo a “thinly veiled reference” to the prosecution of Donald Trump? It’s a joke about Biden drinking from a Dark Brandon meme mug. Trump’s lawyers already turning a federal criminal prosecution into a clown show. pic.twitter.com/JUNUkJkAyG

"This is how scared Trump is of President Biden," posted pro-Biden influencer Harry Sisson. "In their response to Jack Smith, Trump's lawyers tried to argue that Biden mocked Trump by sipping coffee out of a Dark Brandon mug. Completely unhinged. I think Team Biden should release another one of these videos ASAP!"

This is how scared Trump is of President Biden. In their response to Jack Smith, Trump’s lawyers tried to argue that Biden mocked Trump by sipping coffee out of a Dark Brandon mug. Completely unhinged.I think Team Biden should release another one of these videos ASAP! pic.twitter.com/Ku6b7hxNnn

"LMFAO WHAT!?" @JFG0995 posted. "He's selling that Dark Brandon merchandise? It's not some psyop ... Nobody bats an eye when Trump sells his illegally generated images of him as an 'alpha male' for $99!"

LMFAO WHAT!? He’s selling that Dark Brandon merchandise? It’s not some psyop 🇺🇸🫡Nobody bats an eye when Trump sells his illegally generated images of him as an “alpha male” for $99!

"I may have to buy one of those Joe Biden coffee mugs, now that I know it makes Trump a sad boy," posted @hlayfield.

I may have to buy one of those Joe Biden coffee mugs, now that I know it makes Trump a sad boy.

The Trump team's filing was in response to Special Counsel Jack Smith's request on Friday to limit the type of information that the former president can publicly share about the case.

Smith made the request hours after Trump posted on Truth Social, "IF YOU GO AFTER ME, I'M COMING AFTER YOU!" Trump critics and some legal experts suggested that the former president's post was a "threat" that was not covered by "freedom of speech."

The Dark Brandon meme was originally conceived by supporters of the ex-president as an attempt to mock Biden. However, it has since been reclaimed by Biden and his own supporters.

Dark Brandon emerged last year from two other memes that have been popular among Trump supporters—"Let's Go Brandon," a coded way of saying "F*** Joe Biden," and the authoritarian "Dark MAGA" meme.