By Rajwa Quasim
Two media entities, Intercept and the Freedom of the Press Foundation, sued President Donald Trump over Truth Social’s API service. The lawsuit, which seeks to prevent the White House from publishing official government announcements exclusively on Truth Social for as long as the paid feature exists, was filed in Manhattan federal court.
“Trump is trying to enrich himself by privatizing government information that he has no right to sell,” said Ben Muessig, Intercept Editor-in-Chief. “We won’t let it stand.”
Trump Media & Technology Group owns Truth Social which announced its Truth API service this month. Truth API, launched on Aug. 1, will allow subscribed Wall Street firms access to posts by the most followed account milliseconds prior to the rest. The paid service cost around $60,000 to $100,000 per month.
Many have criticized Trump for using his presidential power for personal gain in his second term. Especially when Trump’s posts have often influenced financial markets. Democratic Senators Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Adam Schiff of California called on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to investigate whether it undermined the integrity of financial markets while enriching Wall Street, wealthy insiders and Trump.
READ: Trump Media says Wall Street are paying up to $100K for early access to Trump’s posts (August 11, 2026)
Senator Mark Warner criticized the service and said, “The president’s company selling prioritized access to the president’s market-moving posts is corrupt and erodes public confidence.”
Trump remains the largest shareholder of TMTG, owning about 41.5% of the company, worth approximately $950 million. He uses his own platform to announce tariffs, foreign policy, military action, and other government decisions. On March 23, Trump announced postponing strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure which resulted in Brent Crude falling up to 11%.
The announcement, which came just days after the launch of Truth API, sent oil prices down as much as 5% after Trump said he was canceling planned military action against Iran.
Since the launch of Truth API, TMTG shares have risen by about 7%. The company reported revenue of $3.68 million in 2025, while it generated $871,000 in revenue during the first quarter of 2026.
READ: Trump Media pitches premium Truth Social data feed (July 19, 2026)
The plaintiffs argued that the service violates the first amendment of the U.S. constitution by limiting equal access to Trump’s announcements. They further said that there was no legitimate government interest in allowing private subscribers to pay for Trump’s posts where he personally profits from the launched service. They allege that Trump’s estimated 9,000 to 11,000 Truth Social posts and reposts during the second term were not followed by official White House statements.
A spokesperson for Trump Media rejected the argument, saying “countless” platforms and news outlets already distribute information from Trump “including services that charge subscribers for access to information.”
“Now, left-wing activists are trying to wrongfully weaponize the courts to censor him and harm shareholders,” the spokesperson said.
Vice President JD Vance, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., FBI Director Kash Patel are among the officials whose accounts available through the Truth API.