Donald Trump loses appeal of gag order in hush money criminal case

Former US President Donald Trump's challenge to a gag order in his hush money criminal case was rejected by a New York court on Thursday (local time). The Republican presidential nominee was convicted in May on charges stemming from hush money paid to a porn star.

The decision by the Appellate Division in Manhattan means Trump cannot comment publicly about individual prosecutors and others involved in the case until Justice Juan Merchan sentences him on September 18, seven weeks before the November 5 election, according to a Reuters report.

Trump's latest challenge to the gag was filed after his unanimous jury conviction on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. His lawyers had argued the gag order should have been dispelled at the end of his trial.