Gag order doesn’t prevent Trump from testifying

While attending his criminal trial in which he’s accused of falsifying business records, former President Donald Trump often stops on his way out of court to talk to reporters and supporters.

As he addressed the crowd following the day’s proceedings earlier this month, Trump complained about being under a gag order.

“I’m not allowed to testify. I’m under a gag order. I guess, right?” Trump said during his May 2 stop. “I’m not allowed to testify, because this judge, who’s totally conflicted, has me under an unconstitutional gag order.”

But the former president got that wrong, according to The Washington Post. The gag order is about what happens outside court.

“I want to stress, Mr. Trump, that you have an absolute right to testify at trial, if that is what you decide to do after consultation with your attorneys,” New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan told the former president the next day in court. “That is a constitutional right that cannot be denied or abrogated in any way.”

The gag order is concerned with comments Trump would make, outside of court, about witnesses, prosecutors, court and district attorney’s office staff, their families and jurors, according to CNN. The order doesn’t forbid him from speaking at campaign events, to the media or to the public. He is free to attack political opponents, President Joe Biden and the judge and district attorney involved in the case.

Trump has varied on whether he will testify in this case, most recently saying he would testify “if it’s necessary.”

No plans to modify flag

A recent Instagram post, showing a screenshot of an X post, claims there is a call to modify the flag of the United States.

“BREAKING: Democrats are calling to redesign the American Flag to make it more inclusive. What’s your reaction?” reads the text on the May 5 post that includes a photo showing a group of people holding a large American flag. Many white stars on the flag are replaced with pink stars and the stripes are colors of the rainbow.

But a change in the look of the flag is not what’s going on in that photo, according to USA Today. There are no credible reports that the Democratic Party has plans to redesign the American flag.

The photo included with the post shows demonstrators holding a gay rights flag, in April 2015, gathered outside the Supreme Court building in Washington D.C. The rally took place as Supreme Court justices were hearing arguments in the same-sex marriage case of Obergefell v. Hodges.

The false post didn’t include a link to any stories or credits to back up the claim. The last change to the American flag was on July 4, 1960, when a 50th star, to represent the statehood of Hawaii, was added.

Not illegal to question 9/11

A post circulating on social media appears to include a screenshot of an odd New York Post article.

The headline on the post reads, “Congress to Vote on Bill That Would Criminalize Questioning the Events Surrounding 9/11,” placed below the New York Post logo and above a photo of the twin towers of the World Trade Center in flames. Below that photo, the text reads, “With strong support from AIPAC and the ADL, Congress is set to vote on a bill that would criminalize any questioning of the events that took place during the September 11th attacks.” Those initials appear to refer to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and the Anti-Defamation League.

But this isn’t real legislation nor is this an actual New York Post article, according to The Associated Press.

This article doesn’t appear on the newspaper’s website and New York Post spokesperson Iva Benson told the AP the image of the story is “fake.”

“(The American Israel Public Affairs Committee has) not supported any such legislation,” AIPAC spokesperson Marshall Wittmann told the AP. And Anti-Defamation League spokesperson Todd Gutnick told the AP the claim is “a complete fraud.”

Rihanna, Perry not at Met Gala

There was plenty of media coverage following the Met Gala held May 6 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, and many of those images were shared on social media.

“Rihanna attends The #MetGala,” reads the text on a May 6 Facebook post showing the singer in a gown.

“Katy Perry ATE and left NO crumbs,” reads the text on a different Facebook post, added to a 2024 MET GALA photo album, showing Perry in two different dresses.

But those posts are false, according to PolitiFact. Neither singer attended the gala. The photos were created using Artificial Intelligence, or AI.

Rihanna had planned to attend but had to miss the event because she had the flu, People magazine reported. And Perry, on the day of the gala, wrote on Instagram, “Couldn’t make it to the MET, had to work.”

Both posts include clues showing the images were generated using AI, such as background people with distorted features and carpet colors that didn’t match the actual carpet.

• Bob Oswald is a veteran Chicago-area journalist and former news editor of the Elgin Courier-News. Contact him at boboswald33@gmail.com.