FACT CHECK: No, A Poster Identifying Donald Trump As A ‘Registered Sex Offender’ Is Not Real
A post shared on Twitter purports to show a poster indicating former President Donald Trump is allegedly a “registered sex offender.”
— Colorado Bliss (@RckyMtn5280) May 10, 2023
Verdict: False
The poster appears to be digitally fabricated and originally stems from a Twitter account that posts parodies.
Fact Check:
Trump’s attorneys filed an appeal in the federal civil case where he was found liable for sexual battery against writer E. Jean Carroll, according to CBS News. The former President has been ordered to pay Carroll $5 million in damages, CNN reported.
The purported poster features a photo of the former President and labels him as a “registered sex offender.” The poster claims Trump was allegedly charged with sexual assault in a dressing room on May 9, 2023, in New York County, New York.
The claim is false. The purported poster appears to be digitally fabricated and originally stems from a post made by @mattgaetz4head, a Twitter account that shares parodies, according to its bio.
“If he were anyone else this would be real,” the social media user captioned the original post, which has garnered over 21,000 views. In a subsequent tweet, the same social media user reiterated that the poster was fake.
“FORE [sic] THE LAST TIME: I’M AWARE THIS WAS A CIVIL CASE AND HE CAN’T BE CHARGED CRIMINALLY BEAUSE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS. muting this and moving on,” the social media user wrote.
FORE THE LAST TIME:
I’M AWARE THIS WAS A CIVIL CASE AND HE CAN’T BE CHARGED CRIMINALLY BEAUSE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS.
muting this and moving on.— Matt Gaetz Forehead (@mattgaetz4head) May 11, 2023
The claim appears to be circulating in relation to the former President’s case involving Carroll, who accused him of raping her at a Bergdorf Goodman department store in 1996. Trump was found liable for sexual abuse, forcible touching, and defamation but not rape, according to the Palm Beach Post. The case was a civil one, and Trump was not convicted of a crime, the outlet indicated.
Likewise, there are no credible news reports suggesting Trump has had to register as a sex offender. In addition, the former President has not publicly addressed the purported claim via his TRUTH Social account. (RELATED: Did Donald Trump Call Michael Cohen A ‘Cereal Liar’?)
Check Your Fact has contacted a Trump spokesperson for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received.
