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Donald Trump in front of the courthouse in Manhattan on February 15th

Photo: Andrew Kelly / REUTERS

The New York prosecutors have requested a kind of gag order for the defendant in the hush money case against Donald Trump.

The aim is to prevent the ex-president from attacking witnesses or revealing the identities of the jurors.

This emerges from the court documents.

In their motions, prosecutors point out that Trump "has a long history of attacking witnesses, investigators, prosecutors, judges and others involved in legal proceedings against him."

The former US president will stand trial in a Manhattan court starting March 25 on charges he falsified business documents to cover up a hush money payment to a porn star before the 2016 election.

The case is the first of four criminal cases against Trump that are expected to go to trial.

Trump has pleaded not guilty.

The process must be ended because it was initiated for partisan political purposes and because state laws do not apply to federal elections.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg also requested that Trump be barred from making comments about the prosecutors handling the case - except for Bragg himself - as well as the court's staff.

Trump is appealing against a fine of millions for financial fraud

Trump has now appealed against his conviction of a fine of more than 460 million dollars (424 million euros) for financial fraud.

In his application, Trump's lawyers also demand that the three-year ban imposed on the real estate entrepreneur and his sons Donald Junior and Eric from doing business in New York state be lifted.

Trump had already announced the appeal immediately after the verdict was announced a week and a half ago.

He and his sons were found guilty of artificially inflating the assets of the family real estate empire by billions of dollars over the years in order to get better conditions for loans and insurance.

The fine is $355 million plus interest.

New York State Attorney General Letitia James initially estimated the total amount at more than $450 million.

Trump is likely to have considerable difficulty raising this amount.

In the appeal, Trump's lawyers argue that with its ruling the court "abused its discretion and exceeded its jurisdiction."

In his verdict, Judge Engoron criticized the defendants for being "unable to admit their mistakes."

Her “complete lack of insight and remorse” is “almost morbid.”

Trump criticizes the verdict - like all legal proceedings against him - as politically motivated and as "election influence."

The 77-year-old is well ahead in his Republican Party's primaries and is heading towards running against President Joe Biden in the November election.

Editor's note: An earlier version said Trump was pleading not guilty because state laws don't apply to federal elections.

We made a translation error; in fact, the Trump team argues that individual US state laws do not apply to federal elections.

We have corrected the spot.

mgo/AFP/Reuters