The Intercept and the Freedom of the Press Foundation filed a lawsuit on Wednesday in New York federal court against Donald Trump over a Truth Social service called Truth API, which charges subscribers up to $100,000 a month for near-instant access to Trump's posts, arriving seconds ahead of the general public.
Two US media groups sue Trump over paid early-access service for Truth Social posts
The Intercept and the Freedom of the Press Foundation filed a lawsuit on Wednesday in New York federal court against Donald Trump over a Truth Social service called Truth API, which charges subscribers up to $100,000 a month for near-instant access to Trump's posts, arriving seconds ahead of the general public.
The court filing describes the arrangement as 'extraordinary, corrupt and unconstitutional,' arguing that selling priority access to the president's announcements gives a financial advantage to those able to pay, at a time when Trump's posts have been known to move markets. According to the suit, Trump often uses Truth Social to announce major developments — including events in the Iran war and trade tariffs — that can rapidly affect stock values.
Trump Media and Technology Group (TMTG) unveiled Truth API in mid-July, stating the product is aimed at businesses seeking faster data feeds and would deliver posts from Trump and other high-profile accounts within milliseconds. The company has dismissed concerns about how the information is used.
BBC News reports that more than 10 firms now pay up to $100,000 a month for the service. ABC News Australia, citing the Wall Street Journal, reports that at least five trading companies signed up shortly after the launch. The two outlets thus differ on the number of subscribers.
The lawsuit notes that Trump holds the largest stake in TMTG through a revocable trust owning approximately 41% of the company — a stake valued at more than $1 billion, according to BBC News — and that he is the trust's sole beneficiary.
Seth Stern, chief of advocacy at the Freedom of the Press Foundation, described the arrangement as 'so blatantly corrupt and unconstitutional that it would have been hard to even fathom just a few years ago.' David Bralow, chief legal officer at The Intercept, said: 'Nothing could be more antithetical to the free, independent press than the president charging for early access to his public announcements.'
A TMTG spokesperson responded that information from Trump is distributed across countless platforms, many of which offer subscription-based application programming interfaces, characterising the plaintiffs as 'left-wing activists' attempting to 'weaponize the courts to censor him again and harm our shareholders.' The spokesperson also accused the Freedom of the Press Foundation of violating Truth Social's terms of service.
According to ABC News Australia, Democratic Senator Mark Warner announced he has introduced a bill in the US Senate that would 'crack down on this corruption and ensure all Americans have free and equal access to public announcements from government officials.' ABC News Australia also notes that the case has drawn attention to broader claims that Trump and close relatives have allegedly made billions of dollars during his second term through various financial ventures.
Where sources differ
- The number of paying subscribers differs between sources: BBC News reports more than 10 firms pay up to $100,000 a month, while ABC News Australia, citing the Wall Street Journal, states at least five trading companies signed up shortly after the launch.
- The White House had not responded to a request for comment at the time of BBC News's reporting, and no White House statement appears in either source.
- The specific legal claims and causes of action in the lawsuit beyond the broad constitutional framing are not detailed in either source.
- Neither source establishes the current status or likely timeline of the litigation.
- The identities of the firms subscribing to Truth API are not disclosed in either source.
- The current status of Senator Warner's proposed legislation in the Senate is not established.
- Whether any regulatory body such as the SEC has reviewed or is reviewing the service is not addressed by either source.
- BBC News — original — by Francisco Velasquez
- ABC News Australia