Trump's Appeal Denied: Gag Order Upheld in Election Interference Case

A federal appeals court in Washington has largely upheld a gag order on Donald Trump in his 2020 election interference case, but narrowed the restrictions on his speech to allow him to criticize the special counsel. The ruling permits Trump to make disparaging comments about special counsel Jack Smith but imposes limits on what he can say about witnesses, court staff, and other lawyers. The court agreed with prosecutors that Trump's comments can have a damaging impact and rejected claims that the restrictions on his speech are unconstitutional. The case accuses Trump of plotting with his Republican allies to subvert the will of voters in a bid to stay in power before the Capitol riot. The trial is scheduled for March.