Trump loses challenge to gag order in N.Y. civil fraud trial

Driving the news: New York's Appellate Division, First Judicial Department wrote in the Thursday filing that "the gravity of potential harm is small, given that the gag order is narrow, limited to prohibiting solely statements regarding the court's staff."

The big picture: Trump has been under a limited gag order in the trial since October, when Judge Arthur Engoron issued it after the former president made a post on his Truth Social account about the judge's law clerk.

• Trump has been fined twice over apparent violations of the limited order.
• Trump's team argued in a filing last month that the orders "shield" the judge overseeing the case and his law clerk from "the precise scrutiny essential to maintaining public confidence in the judiciary and ensuring a fair trial."

Zoom in: New York court officials, however, said that threats and harassment increased "exponentially" after Trump's post about Engoron's law clerk.

Go deeper: Trump's unusual New York campout

Editor's note: This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.