Two American press freedom organisations have filed a federal lawsuit against President Donald Trump, seeking to block his social media company from selling advance access to his official posts — a service they describe as "extraordinarily corrupt and unconstitutional."
The Intercept, an investigative news outlet, and the Freedom of the Press Foundation, a nonprofit advocacy group, filed the complaint in federal court for the Southern District of New York on Wednesday. The lawsuit targets Truth API, a subscription service launched on 1 August by Trump Media and Technology Group — the company behind Truth Social, Trump's social media platform. The service charges between $60,000 and $100,000 per month for real-time, advance access to posts from Trump and other prominent accounts. More than ten businesses and organisations had already subscribed as of an earnings call on 10 August, according to the filing. The suit names Trump in his official capacity, along with White House aide Natalie Harp and Deputy Chief of Staff Daniel Scavino.
The plaintiffs argue the arrangement violates two constitutional provisions: the First Amendment's implicit guarantee of equal press access to presidential announcements, and the Fifth Amendment's protections against the government charging arbitrary fees to access public information. "This scheme is profoundly corrupt," the complaint reads. "The president stands to gain financially by giving 'market-moving' government information to those who are willing and able to pay his personal company." Trump holds roughly a $1 billion stake in Trump Media and Technology Group, down from an estimated $4 billion when it was placed in a trust earlier in 2025.
The concern over market-moving information is central to the case. Trump has 12.9 million followers on Truth Social and regularly uses the platform to announce major policy decisions first. His posts on topics such as the US-Israel conflict with Iran have already sent ripples through global oil markets, and critics warn that giving wealthy subscribers early access to such posts would create an unequal playing field — advantaging large investors over ordinary ones. "Trump is trying to enrich himself by privatising government information that he has no right to sell," said The Intercept's editor-in-chief, Ben Muessig.
Trump Media pushed back, arguing that presidential communications already reach the public through "countless platforms and news outlets, many of which offer subscription APIs." The White House has not commented on the lawsuit. The case will be heard in federal court in Manhattan.