As the historic criminal trial of former President Donald Trump unfolds in New York this week, the CBS News Confirmed team has been monitoring potentially misleading narratives circulating on social media. Here are three viral claims that have emerged during the trial and what you need to know about them.
Claim 1: Judge Juan Merchan won’t let Trump attend his son’s graduation
On Monday, Trump shared on Truth Social to his nearly 7 million followers that Judge Juan Merchan, who presides over the trial, may not permit him to attend his 18-year-old son Barron’s graduation in May.
“Who will explain to my wonderful son, Barron, who is excelling at a fantastic school, that his Dad might not be allowed to attend his graduation ceremony, something we’ve been looking forward to for years,” Trump wrote in a post that received over 18,000 likes by Tuesday.
Others online, including his son Eric Trump, echoed this claim, with Eric Trump stating that “Judge Merchan is truly heartless in not allowing a father to attend his son’s graduation.”
The facts
Judge Merchan has not made a decision yet on Trump’s attendance at his son’s graduation. However, he indicated on Monday that he is open to it, although it may depend on the trial’s progress. In a court transcript excerpt obtained by CBS News’ Graham Kates, Judge Merchan mentioned:
Regarding the request for Mr. Trump to attend his son’s high school graduation on May 17th and a defense team member to attend their son’s graduation on June 3rd, I cannot rule on those requests at this time. It will depend on our progress and if we face any delays during the trial.
Claim 2: Stormy Daniels denies having an affair with Trump
In a tweet from April 10 highlighted by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, Trump posted on Truth Social: “Look what was just found! Will the fake news report it?” The tweet included a 2018 letter from Stormy Daniels stating, “I am denying this affair because it never happened.”
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Roger Stone, and others shared the same picture on social media, garnering over 60,000 likes.
The facts
Despite Trump presenting the letter as new, it has been public since January 2018, and Daniels has since admitted that she was pressured into signing it. In March 2018, she revealed on “60 Minutes” that she did have an affair with Trump.
In her interview with Anderson Cooper, Daniels clarified that she signed the letter under pressure and out of fear of legal repercussions.
Claim 3: Trump’s gag order is unconstitutional
Trump claimed on Truth Social that the gag order imposed by Judge Merchan on April 1 is unconstitutional, stating that he is being silenced while the other side can freely discuss him.
The facts
Judge Merchan’s gag order prohibits Trump from discussing certain individuals related to the trial but allows him to criticize the judge and the district attorney. Legal experts argue that the gag order is lawful and does not infringe on Trump’s First Amendment rights. Trump’s lawyers have challenged the order, claiming it violates his free speech rights.
Trump’s request to lift the order will be reviewed by a five-judge panel.
