A gag order preventing Donald Trump from commenting on court personnel in his civil fraud trial has been temporarily lifted by an appellate judge, citing free speech concerns, AP News reports.
In the trial, which alleges that Trump exaggerated his wealth on financial statements, trial judge Arthur Engoron imposed a gag order after Trump posted a false comment about the judge’s law clerk on social media.
Trump’s lawyers filed a lawsuit against the trial judge, challenging the gag order as an abuse of power. The appellate judge David Friedman issued a “stay,” suspending the gag order and allowing Trump to speak freely about court staff during the ongoing appeals process.
