A US federal appeals court has upheld a $1 million fine imposed on former President Donald Trump and his ex-lawyer Alina Habba for filing a baseless lawsuit against Hillary Clinton and other political rivals. The three-judge panel ruled that the lawsuit, which accused Clinton and several Democrats of conspiring to fabricate a false Russia-collusion narrative during the 2016 election, was frivolous and politically motivated. The court affirmed that the district court had not abused its discretion in imposing the penalty, emphasizing that Trump’s legal arguments lacked merit. Chief Judge William Pryor Jr. authored the opinion, joined by Judges Andrew Brasher and Embry Kidd. Trump’s legal team stated they would continue to pursue the matter until a “fair and just outcome” is achieved. The original case was dismissed in 2023, with the court labeling it an improper use of the judicial system for political purposes.