Trump challenges order directing his ex-aides to testify

Former US president Donald Trump has filed an appeal to a court ruling which aims to prevent his aides and allies to provide testimony before the grand jury in the criminal case about overturning the 2020 elections registered against him, CNN reported.

In the ruling issued in mid-March, US district judge Beryl Howell — then chief judge of DC's federal trial court — rejected the former president's executive privilege claims to stop the testimony of his former aides and allies in the Justice Department's special counsel probes.

The appeal is aimed at the ruling of Howell who ordered Trump's former aides to answer the questions before the grand jury.

The ruling would force Trump's allies including his ex-chief of staff Mark Meadows, former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe, former national security adviser Robert O'Brien and former Department of Homeland Security official Ken Cuccinelli to testify.

In another verdict issued recently by Howell's successor, Chief Judge James Boasberg also rejected Trump's executive privilege challenging the court's ruling to bring in former vice president Mike Pence for questioning. 

The vice president was given certain protections under the constitution by the judge to shield the process of legislation from particular law enforcement actions.

Last year, Trump's executive privilege challenge regarding former White House counsel Pat Cipollone and his deputy, Patrick Philbin was also rejected which was aimed to prevent their appearance before the court for additional questioning.

Trump's filing does not provide any specific details about the parties but only says that a notice of appeal has been filed.