Trump slams N.Y. judge's clerk after gag order is temporarily lifted

Hours after a gag order was temporarily lifted, former President Trump publicly slammed a clerk for the judge overseeing the New York civil fraud trial.

Driving the news: Trump on Thursday singled out Judge Arthur Engoron's clerk as a "Trump Hating Clerk, who is sinking him and his Court to new levels of LOW" in a post on his Truth Social account.

• The former president has been fined twice for apparent violations of the gag order, which he also called "a disgrace." It was originally imposed after he attacked the same law clerk in a separate Truth Social post.

Catch up quick: A New York appeals court on Thursday temporarily halted the gag order on Trump and his legal team in the ongoing trial, multiple outlets reported.

• "Considering the constitutional and statutory rights at issue an interim stay is granted," Associate Justice David Friedman said in a written order on Thursday, per CNN.
• Trump is now allowed to comment freely while the stay is in effect, and until the appeals process plays out in court, the Associated Press reports.

State of play: Trump's lawyers asked for emergency relief earlier this week against the judge overseeing the trial, arguing that "the proceedings have been irreparably "tainted" by bias and "an unprecedented departure from standard judicial procedure."

• They challenged the gag order and said it "interferes with counsel's ability to zealously advocate for their clients."

• Trump has repeatedly derided the lawsuit, trial proceedings and Engoron.

Zoom out: Engoron imposed the gag order on Trump in October after he made a post on his Truth Social account attacking the same law clerk.

• Trump has been fined twice, for a combined $15,000, over alleged violations of the order.

Go deeper: Trump's unusual New York campout

Editor's note: This story was updated with information from Trump's Truth Social post.