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The Intercept and the Freedom of the Press Foundation have filed a federal lawsuit against US President Donald Trump, seeking to block a subscription service that gives paying customers advance access to his social media posts.
The groups filed the lawsuit on Wednesday, arguing that the service could restrict public access to information of significant public interest by allowing wealthy subscribers to receive Trump’s posts before they are made widely available.
The complaint describes the arrangement as “profoundly corrupt”, arguing that Trump could financially benefit by providing potentially market-moving government information to customers willing to pay his company.
The lawsuit invokes constitutional protections for freedom of the press and argues that the scheme violates First Amendment principles by denying the public equal access to presidential announcements.
It also cites the Fifth Amendment, claiming that the government cannot impose arbitrary charges on people seeking access to government information.
The lawsuit names Trump in his official capacity, along with White House aide Natalie Harp and Deputy Chief of Staff Daniel Scavino.
The case centres on Truth API, a subscription service announced in July and launched on August 1 by Trump Media and Technology Group, the company behind the Truth Social platform.
The service reportedly charges customers between $60,000 and $100,000 a month for real-time access to posts from Trump and other prominent accounts on Truth Social.
According to the lawsuit, more than 10 customers had subscribed to the service by August 10.
The groups argue that the service is particularly concerning because Trump has used Truth Social to announce policy decisions and other statements that can influence financial markets.
Trump’s comments on the Iran war have previously sent ripples through global oil markets.
Trump is the largest shareholder in Trump Media and Technology Group, with his stake currently valued at roughly $1 billion, according to the lawsuit.
The value has fallen substantially from around $4 billion when the stake was placed in a trust in early 2025.
Ben Muessig, editor-in-chief of The Intercept, accused Trump of attempting to profit from information that should remain publicly accessible.
“Trump is trying to enrich himself by privatising government information that he has no right to sell,” Muessig said.
Trump Media defended the service, saying presidential communications already reach the public through numerous platforms and news organisations, many of which provide subscription-based application programming interfaces (APIs).
The White House has not commented on the lawsuit.
The case is scheduled to be heard in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York.
