Donald Trump has been sued in New York over Truth Social’s new paid service offering faster access to his posts, with two media organisations seeking to prevent the US president from using the platform as an exclusive channel for official announcements.
The Intercept and the Freedom of the Press Foundation filed the lawsuit on 12 August against Trump, two presidential aides and the Executive Office of the President, arguing that Truth API violates constitutional protections by giving paying customers preferential access to information issued by the president.
Truth API, launched by Trump Media & Technology Group on 1 August, charges up to $100,000 a month for faster access to posts from 10 high-profile accounts, including Trump’s. Reuters reported that the service can provide subscribers with information “fractionally faster” than the general public.
The complaint argues that the arrangement creates particular concerns because Trump has used Truth Social to announce policies and developments that can affect financial markets, including tariffs and developments relating to the war in Iran. The plaintiffs are seeking an order preventing the administration from posting official government information exclusively on Truth Social while the paid service operates.
Brendan Ballou, who runs the Public Integrity Project and represents the media groups, told NPR that “the president here is using the power of the office to vastly enrich himself”. He said the service could disadvantage journalists who cannot afford the premium feed, making it harder for them to report accurately and quickly.
Trump Media has defended the service, saying that monetising social media data is common across the technology industry and that Trump’s posts are distributed by numerous platforms and news organisations. The White House did not respond to requests for comment on the lawsuit.
The legal action follows scrutiny from Democratic senators Elizabeth Warren and Adam Schiff, who had urged the Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate whether the service could affect market integrity and benefit wealthy investors with faster access to potentially price-sensitive information.
Trump Media interim chief executive Kevin McGurn said on an earnings call that Truth API allowed subscribers to receive news “fractionally faster” than other users. The company said more than 10 customers had signed up, with those customers reported to include high-frequency trading firms and financial news organisations.
The lawsuit comes as Trump Media faces significant financial pressure, having reported a $238 million second-quarter loss, largely linked to cryptocurrency assets. Trump remains the company’s largest shareholder, holding a 41.3 per cent stake worth approximately $950 million, according to Reuters data.
