Trump sued over paid early access to Truth Social posts

A federal lawsuit filed this month names President Donald Trump, his executive assistant Natalie Harp and White House deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino as defendants, alleging that a paid data feed gives advance access to posts on Truth Social.

The complaint, brought by a press freedom group and a news organization, alleges that Truth API is a business-to-business product from Trump Media & Technology Group that provides licensed, real-time access to posts from the platform’s highest-ranking accounts.

Plaintiffs say the feed, priced at up to $100,000 a month, is marketed to trading firms that use automated systems to act on information within milliseconds, allowing paying clients to receive market-moving presidential communications before the public.

The complaint argues that selling prioritized access to presidential statements permits the President to profit from government information and creates an unequal information advantage. The filing calls the arrangement “profoundly corrupt” and contends there is no legitimate interest in permitting such sales.

Harp and Scavino are named on the grounds that they are understood to have access to the President’s Truth Social account and therefore are part of the alleged arrangement, according to the complaint.

The plaintiffs seek judicial relief on First Amendment grounds, asking a court to block privileged access and to enforce equal public access to official announcements tied to the office of the President.

Trump Media & Technology Group introduced Truth API last month and describes it as a licensed feed for real-time posts from top accounts on the network. Company materials identify institutional buyers, including high-frequency trading firms, as target customers.

The complaint was filed as TMTG reported a $238 million loss in the second quarter, a decline the company attributed largely to its cryptocurrency holdings.

The lawsuit raises questions about the sale of early access to official presidential communications and whether such sales are consistent with constitutional protections for public announcements.