Trump faces lawsuit over $100K Truth Social plan for early access to presidential posts

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump was sued in federal court on Wednesday, August 12, over a new Truth Social service that charges subscribers as much as $100,000 a month for early access to his posts.

The lawsuit, filed by the Freedom of the Press Foundation and The Intercept, argues that the arrangement gives paying customers advance access to presidential statements that can influence financial markets.

The plaintiffs are asking a federal judge to block the service and Trump Media & Technology Group’s broader exclusive access arrangement.

Lawsuit targets Trump's paid Truth Social posts 

The case, filed in the Southern District of New York, centers on Truth API, a service launched by Trump Media & Technology Group that delivers posts from Trump and other accounts to subscribers ahead of their wider release.

The plaintiffs argue that the arrangement is particularly significant because Trump regularly uses Truth Social to announce government policy and major developments.

They say paying customers can receive his posts seconds before they become available to the general public, giving them an advantage when the messages contain information that could affect financial markets.

More than 10 firms have reportedly subscribed to the service, with some paying as much as $100,000 a month. 

The lawsuit argues that Trump’s arrangement violates the First Amendment by denying members of the public and the press equal access to his official statements.

It also cites the Fifth Amendment and challenges the conditions under which access to government information is being provided.

“A president selling priority access to news he himself generates for the benefit of a private company he controls is so blatantly corrupt and unconstitutional that it would have been hard to even fathom just a few years ago,” Seth Stern, chief of advocacy at the Freedom of the Press Foundation, said.

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.”

The complaint asks the court to end Truth API and Trump Media’s exclusive arrangement for early access to Trump’s posts.

Trump Media defends Truth API service 

Trump Media has defended Truth API as a commercial data service, arguing that similar subscription-based systems are common for distributing information quickly.

“Information from President Trump is disseminated by countless platforms and news outlets, many of which offer subscription APIs,” the company said.

“One of those channels is Truth Social, which was founded as an uncancellable haven for free speech after the President was unjustly de-platformed,” adding, “now, left-wing activists are trying to wrongfully weaponize the courts to censor him again and harm our shareholders.”

The lawsuit also points to Trump's financial interest in Trump Media. Regulatory filings show he holds about a 41% stake in the company through a trust, giving him a substantial financial interest in its performance.