On Wednesday, August 12, 2026, The Intercept and the nonprofit Freedom of the Press Foundation filed a federal lawsuit against United States President Donald Trump. The suit seeks to block Trump's social media service from selling advance access to his posts, arguing that the subscription-based service restricts access to matters of public interest.
The lawsuit focuses on the Truth API, a subscription service announced in July and launched on August 1, 2026. This service, offered by the Trump Media and Technology Group, 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, the group's social media platform. According to the complaint, more than 10 customers had subscribed as of an August 10 earnings call.
Ben Muessig, editor-in-chief of The Intercept, stated, “Trump is trying to enrich himself by privatizing government information that he has no right to sell. We won’t let it stand.”
This legal challenge highlights concerns over the commercialization of public information and access to presidential communications.
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