Trump's Statements Available for $100,000 a Month: Media Groups File Lawsuit to Ban Sales

[Mexico City = Shim Young-jae, Correspondent] A paid service allowing users to receive Donald Trump's posts on Truth Social faster than others is facing legal challenges. Media organizations argue that providing government-related information from the president, which could influence the market, to customers paying up to $100,000 a month violates the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression.

Bloomberg reported on the 12th (local time) that the investigative media outlet The Intercept and the nonprofit organization Freedom of the Press Foundation have filed a lawsuit in a New York court seeking to block the 'Truth API' plan of Trump Media & Technology Group related to President Donald Trump. The two organizations claim that the plan is "extraordinary, corrupt, and unconstitutional."

$60,000 to $100,000 a Month... Get Trump's Posts Faster

According to Bloomberg, Trump Media announced last month that it would sell a service allowing faster access to President Trump's posts on Truth Social through the Truth API.

The fee ranges from $60,000 to $100,000 per month. The controversy arises from the potential impact of Trump's posts on financial markets. Bloomberg explains that Trump Media aims to sell faster access to posts that are 'market-moving.'

This plan has sparked backlash not only from Democrats but also from some free-market advocates on Wall Street, according to Bloomberg.

The Intercept and Freedom of the Press Foundation argue that charging for faster access to the president's public statements raises constitutional issues.

In their complaint, the two organizations stated, "This plan is seriously corrupt," asserting that the president gains financial benefits by providing 'market-moving' government information to those willing and able to pay his personal company.

They argue that the First Amendment guarantees equal access to the president's public statements and does not allow for preferential access to certain users for a fee.

The economic relationship between President Trump and Trump Media is also a point of contention in the lawsuit.

According to Bloomberg, President Donald Trump is the largest shareholder of Trump Media, holding shares worth about $1 billion, which are managed by a trust overseen by his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr.

The plaintiffs argue that this shareholding relationship connects the sale of early access to government-related information to the president's personal financial interests.

Trump Media: "Many Platforms Also Offer Subscription APIs"

Trump Media has countered the plaintiffs' claims.

According to Bloomberg, Trump Media stated that President Trump's information is distributed through "numerous platforms and news outlets," many of which offer subscription-based API services.

Trump Media positions Truth Social as one of these information distribution channels. The company explains that Truth Social was established as a "refuge for free speech that cannot be canceled" after President Trump was unfairly removed from platforms.

The White House did not immediately respond to Bloomberg's request for comment.

The two organizations that filed the lawsuit claim that their activities are directly affected by the Truth API plan.

The Intercept argues that they suffer harm due to delays in accessing official news.

The Freedom of the Press Foundation operates the 'Trump Anti-Press Social Media Tracker,' which collects posts from President Donald Trump targeting the media on Truth Social. The foundation claims that the paid early access model adversely affects this activity.

"Exclusive Posting of Government Information is Unconstitutional"... Request to Block in Court

The plaintiffs' demands go beyond simply halting the sale of the Truth API.

According to Bloomberg, the plaintiffs are asking the court to rule that the exclusive posting of government information on Truth Social is unconstitutional. They also request that the Trump administration be prohibited from using Truth Social as the exclusive means of publicly disclosing government information.

The case has been filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in Manhattan. The case is titled 'The Intercept Media Inc. v. Trump' and the case number is 26-cv-06867.

This lawsuit comes amid declining performance for Trump Media.

Bloomberg reports that Trump Media announced a loss of $238 million for the second quarter this week. The sharp decline in the value of the digital assets (cryptocurrencies) held by the company has been cited as a major cause of the losses.

Ultimately, the core issue of this lawsuit is whether the speed of delivering the president's public statements can be commercially sold.

The plaintiffs argue that the structure allowing customers who pay for government-related information that could influence the market to receive it first infringes on equal access rights for the media and the public. In contrast, Trump Media maintains that the president's information is already being conveyed through various channels and that subscription-based APIs are a common method used by other platforms and media outlets.

The monthly fee for the Truth API is $60,000 to $100,000. Whether the court will accept the plaintiffs' request for a preliminary injunction is expected to be a variable affecting the future implementation of the service.

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