Former President Donald Trump was placed under arrest at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office on April 4 following his unprecedented indictment by a Manhattan grand jury on March 30 – the first time a former president has been criminally charged.
Trump pled not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records in connection with hush money payments made to two women who alleged they had sexual relations with Trump.
In the leadup to Trump's indictment and arraignment, fabricated images of Trump and false and misleading claims about Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, the hush money probe and past presidents sparked confusion online.
Here's a roundup of viral claims that USA TODAY debunked:
Claim: Post implies Stormy Daniels' statement is new
Our rating: Missing context
The statement in question was released in 2018 and shows adult film actress Stormy Daniels denying an affair with Trump. Daniels later said the statement was a lie and that she felt forced to sign it because of a non-disclosure agreement she had previously signed. Read more.
Claim: Bill Clinton paid Paula Jones $850,000 in 'hush money'
Our rating: False
Multiple legal experts said Clinton’s $850,000 payment to Jones as part of a settlement agreement is not considered "hush money" since the facts of the case were already publicly known. Read more.
Fact check explainer: Trump and other Republicans tie George Soros to Alvin Bragg. Experts say connection is...
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