In a recent development, a New York appeals court has denied former President Donald Trump's request to lift the gag order imposed on him following his felony conviction in the hush money criminal case. The ruling comes two months after Trump's conviction and means that he will continue to be restricted in what he can say about the case for the foreseeable future.

The mid-level appellate court upheld the decision of trial Judge Juan M. Merchan, who had imposed the gag order to prevent Trump from discussing various individuals involved in the case, including members of the prosecution team, court staffers, and their families. The order also extended to include Merchan's daughter, who is a Democratic political consultant and had previously been a target of Trump's criticism.

While the gag order was initially lifted in June, allowing Trump to publicly comment on witnesses and jurors, certain restrictions remained in place until his sentencing, which is scheduled for September 18. The appellate court affirmed Merchan's decision, stating that the conviction alone does not constitute a change in circumstances that would warrant lifting the gag order.

Trump's lawyers had argued that the restrictions were unfair, pointing out that Vice President Kamala Harris, who is likely to be his Democratic opponent in the future, has openly portrayed herself as an ex-prosecutor taking on a "convicted felon." However, their plea was rejected by the court. Trump's defense team is now awaiting a decision from Merchan, who is considering a defense request to throw out the conviction based on the Supreme Court's ruling on presidential immunity. A ruling on this matter is expected to be made on September 6.

The decision by the appeals court came a day after Trump's lawyer, Todd Blanche, tried to file a motion to immediately lift the gag order. However, the court rejected the filing, describing the restrictions as an "unconstitutional, election-interfering" muzzle on Trump's free speech as he seeks to regain the presidency.

Throughout the legal proceedings, Trump's lawyers have made multiple attempts to have the gag order lifted. Their latest effort took them to the state's intermediate appeals court after their appeal to the state's top court was declined last month. The Court of Appeals concluded that the gag order challenge did not present significant constitutional issues that would necessitate immediate intervention.

Judge Merchan initially imposed the gag order in March due to concerns raised by prosecutors about Trump attacking individuals involved in his legal matters. The order was later expanded to prohibit comments about his own family after Trump made false claims and launched social media attacks against the judge's daughter. The judge held Trump in contempt of court during the trial, fining him $10,000 for violations and issuing a warning of potential jail time for future offenses.

As the legal battle continues, Trump maintains his denial of any wrongdoing in the hush money case. The coming weeks will bring further clarity as Judge Merchan weighs the impact of the Supreme Court's ruling on presidential immunity and its potential implications for Trump's conviction and the accompanying gag order.