Intercept and the Freedom of the Press Foundation filed a federal lawsuit against US President Donald Trump on 12/8, seeking to block his Truth Social platform from selling early access to posts. The organizations contend that this paid service obstructs public access to information of significant public interest.
The lawsuit describes this practice as "a serious act of corruption", alleging that "the president is personally profiting by leaking government information with the potential to destabilize markets to those willing to pay his private company".
The lawsuit names President Trump in his official capacity, alongside White House aide Natalie Harp and Deputy Chief of Staff Daniel Scavino. At the heart of the case is Truth API, a service announced in july and officially launched on 1/8.
Citing freedom of the press guaranteed by the US constitution, the plaintiffs argue that Trump's paid access scheme violates the First Amendment, which implicitly ensures "equal access to public statements from the president".
 |
President Donald Trump aboard Air Force One on 8/7. Photo: AP |
President Donald Trump aboard Air Force One on 8/7. Photo: AP
The plaintiffs further allege that the paid service infringes upon the protection provisions of the Fifth Amendment, which bars the government from arbitrarily charging high fees for access to public information.
Truth API, a product of Trump Media & Technology Group, charges users 60,000 to 100,000 USD monthly for early access to posts from President Trump and other notable accounts on Truth Social, the group's social media platform.
As of the business report meeting on 10/8, the lawsuit states that more than 10 customers had already subscribed to the service.
Critics highlight that President Trump frequently uses his Truth Social account to announce policy changes with potential economic repercussions. His statements regarding the US - Israel conflict with Iran, for example, have previously caused fluctuations in global oil markets.
President Trump holds a majority stake in Trump Media & Technology Group, currently valued at approximately one billion USD. This represents a significant decrease from its valuation of around 4 billion USD when the shares were placed in a trust in early 2025.
"President Trump is seeking to enrich himself by privatizing government information that he has no right to sell", stated Intercept Editor-in-Chief Ben Muessig. He added, "We will not stand idly by".
Trump Media & Technology Group countered, stating that the president's messages are already disseminated across "countless platforms and media outlets, many of which also offer paid APIs".
The White House has yet to comment on the lawsuit, which is expected to be heard in federal court for the Southern District of New York.
By Vu Hoang (According to Reuters, AFP, AP, Al Jazeera)
