The Intercept and the nonprofit Freedom of the Press Foundation have filed a federal lawsuit against President Donald Trump, seeking to block his social media company from selling advance access to his posts.
Court filings on Wednesday argue that the subscription‑based service would restrict public access to matters of government interest. “This scheme is profoundly corrupt,” the complaint states.
“The president stands to gain financially by giving ‘market‑moving’ government information to those who are willing and able to pay his personal company.”
The lawsuit cites constitutional protections for a free press, contending that the plan violates the First Amendment’s implicit guarantee of equal access to presidential announcements, reports Al Jazeera.
It also invokes the Fifth Amendment, arguing that the government cannot impose arbitrary fees to access public information.
Named in the complaint alongside Trump are White House aide Natalie Harp and Deputy Chief of Staff Daniel Scavino.
The case centres on Truth API, unveiled in July and launched August 1 by the Trump Media and Technology Group. The service charges subscribers between $60,000 and $100,000 per month for real‑time access to posts from Trump and other prominent accounts on Truth Social.
According to the complaint, more than 10 customers had signed up by 10 August.
Critics note that Trump frequently uses his Truth Social account to announce policy decisions with potential economic impact. His comments on the US‑Israel war on Iran, for example, have influenced global oil markets.
Trump holds the largest stake in Trump Media, valued at roughly $1 billion — down from about $4 billion when placed in a trust in early 2025.
“Trump is trying to enrich himself by privatizing government information that he has no right to sell,” said The Intercept editor‑in‑chief Ben Muessig. “We won’t let it stand.”
Trump Media defended the subscription model, saying presidential communications already circulate through “countless platforms and news outlets, many of which offer subscription APIs.”
The White House has not commented. The lawsuit will be heard in federal court in the Southern District of New York.
