Modify WP_Query with ACF taxonomy field data

layout-recent-posts.php

<?php
    /*———— -Logic goes here, build $props, then include the markup template- ————*/
    $defaults = get_field('recent_posts') ?: [];
	$posts_to_show = $defaults['posts_to_show'];

    $query_args = [
        'post_status'  => 'publish',
        'paged'        => 1,
        'post_type' => 'post',
        'posts_per_page' => $posts_to_show,
    ];

    $selected_posts = isset($defaults['selected_posts'])
        ? $defaults['selected_posts'] : [];

    if(!empty($selected_posts)):
        $selected_post_ids = array_map(function($post){
            return $post->ID;
        }, $selected_posts);

        $query_args = array_merge($query_args, [
            'post__in' => $selected_post_ids,
        ]);
    endif;

    $filter_by_category = $defaults['category_filter'];

    /* only filter by category if checkbox field 
    is checked (yields) boolean TRUE value */
    if($filter_by_category == TRUE):
        $selected_terms = $defaults['categories_to_pull'];
        
        /* build an array of selected category ids because 
        that's how WP_Query wants it */
        $selected_term_ids = array_map(function($term){
            return $term->term_id;
        }, $selected_terms);

        /* if any categories are selected, modify the posts query
            using the "category__in" parameter. 
            https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/classes/wp_query/ */
        if(!empty($selected_term_ids)):
            $query_args = array_merge($query_args, [
                'category__in' => $selected_term_ids,
            ]);        
        endif; 
    endif; 

    $query = new WP_Query($query_args);
    
    $items = $query->get_posts();

    wp_reset_postdata();

    $defaults = array_merge($defaults, 
    [
        'articles' => $items,
    ]
    );

    $props = array_merge($defaults, isset($props) ? $props : []);

    $component_name = basename(__DIR__);
    secu_get_component_template($component_name, $props);
?>