Trump Sued Over Truth Social API Scheme: Federal Lawsuit Alleges Corruption

• President Donald Trump and his company, Trump Media, are being sued over the Truth Social API service, which allows paying subscribers to access government information before it becomes public.
• The lawsuit alleges that the service is an affront to the First Amendment, as it places an 'unlawful burden' on the public's right to access public information and restricts access to public fora.
• Trump stands to gain financially from the Truth Social API service, which has raised concerns about self-dealing and corruption.
• The lawsuit claims that Trump Media's scheme violates the Fifth Amendment's equal protection clause by charging unreasonable sums for access to official government information.

This scheme is profoundly corrupt,

A federal lawsuit filed by The Intercept against President Donald Trump and his company, Trump Media, alleges that the Truth Social API service is an affront to the First Amendment. The service allows paying subscribers to access government information before it becomes public, placing an 'unlawful burden' on the public's right to access public information. This restriction on access to public fora has raised concerns about the potential for unequal treatment and favoritism towards those who can afford to pay for early access. The lawsuit claims that this scheme is not only corrupt but also unconstitutional, as it violates the Fifth Amendment's equal protection clause. By charging unreasonable sums for access to official government information, Trump Media may be infringing on the public's right to access information and undermining the principles of transparency and accountability.

Trump stands to gain financially from the Truth Social API service, which allows paying subscribers to get backend, instantaneous access to his posts on Truth Social. The service is designed to provide a 'real-time feed of the platform's most market-moving Truths' while advancing Trump Media's strategy to monetize proprietary assets through a high-margin, recurring revenue stream. This scheme has raised concerns about self-dealing and corruption, particularly given that early customers included financial news organizations and high-frequency trading firms. The fact that Trump has repeatedly used Truth Social to hawk specific stocks has further fueled these concerns. By allowing paying subscribers to access government information before it becomes public, Trump Media may be creating a system of unequal treatment and favoritism towards those who can afford to pay for early access.

The lawsuit filed by The Intercept against President Donald Trump and his company, Trump Media, is not only a challenge to the Truth Social API service but also a test of the limits of the First Amendment. The service's restriction on access to public fora has raised concerns about unequal treatment and favoritism towards those who can afford to pay for early access. This has sparked debate about the role of government information in a democratic society and the importance of transparency and accountability. The lawsuit claims that Trump Media's scheme is an affront to the First Amendment, as it places an 'unlawful burden' on the public's right to access public information. By challenging this service, The Intercept may be pushing the boundaries of what is considered acceptable under the First Amendment.

Lawyers and compliance officers should be aware of the potential for clients to be impacted by this development, particularly those with business dealings in the US or related to Truth Social. They may need to advise clients on the implications of this lawsuit and any potential changes to access to government information.

Source: Original reporting via Courthouse News Service