Media groups sue Trump over paid access to public social media posts

2 articles

2 sources

0% diversity

Updated Yesterday

Key Topics & People

The Intercept *Freedom of the Press Foundation Fifth Amendment First Amendment Truth API

Coverage Framing

Legal & Judicial(2)

Avg Factuality:75%

Avg Sensationalism:Low

Story Timeline

Aug 13 Morning

1 articles|1 sources

paid accesssocial mediatrumplawsuitpublic interest

Legal & Judicial(1)

Al JazeeraYesterday

Media groups sue Trump over paid access to public social media posts

The Intercept and the Freedom of the Press Foundation have filed a federal lawsuit against President Donald Trump. The lawsuit, filed on Wednesday, aims to block Trump's social media service from selling advance access to his posts. The plaintiffs argue that the subscription-based service, Truth API, which charges between $60,000 and $100,000 monthly for real-time access to posts on Truth Social, is a "profoundly corrupt scheme." They contend that this practice unfairly profits the President by giving "market-moving" government information to paying subscribers. The lawsuit asserts that this violates the First Amendment's guarantees of a free press and equal access to public announcements, as well as the Fifth Amendment's restrictions on charging arbitrary sums for government information.

MeasuredFactual3 sources

Negative

Key Claims

factual

Media groups have filed a federal lawsuit against President Trump to block his social media service from selling advance access to his posts.

— The Intercept and Freedom of the Press Foundation

factual

The lawsuit argues that the subscription-based service would restrict access to matters of public interest and violate the First Amendment.

— Court filings

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The subscription service, Truth API, charges subscribers between $60,000 and $100,000 a month for real-time access to posts from Trump and other prominent accounts on Truth Social.

— Article

quote

The complaint states, 'This scheme is profoundly corrupt.'

— Lawsuit complaint

factual

The lawsuit claims the service would run afoul of the Fifth Amendment's protections against charging arbitrary sums for government information access.

— Lawsuit complaint

Aug 12 Evening

1 articles|1 sources

truth socialtrump mediaearly accessu.s. policylawsuit

Legal & Judicial(1)

Associated Press (AP)Yesterday

Lawsuit seeks to ban Trump Media from charging for early access to president’s posts on US policy

President Donald Trump is being sued in federal court over a new paid service offered by his Truth Social company. The lawsuit, filed by the Freedom of the Press Foundation and The Intercept, alleges that charging for early access to Trump's posts on U.S. policy decisions violates the Constitution. The service, called Truth API, allows Wall Street firms to pay up to $100,000 monthly for exclusive access to his policy-related posts for six hours before they are publicly released. Plaintiffs argue this practice infringes on the public's right to equal access to presidential information and constitutes charging unreasonable conditions for government benefits. Trump Media contends that selling fast access is common in the industry and accuses the plaintiffs of attempting to censor the president. The suit seeks to end both the Truth API service and the company's exclusive access deal.

MeasuredFactual2 sources

Negative

Key Claims

factual

President Donald Trump was sued in federal court to stop him from making money off a new, paid service at his Truth Social company offering early, exclusive access to his posts on U.S. policy.

factual

The lawsuit alleges that Trump’s deal to post first on his own company’s site about U.S. policy decisions violates the Constitution.

quote

"A president selling priority access to news he himself generates for the benefit of a private company he controls is so blatantly corrupt and unconstitutional that it would have been hard to even fathom just a few years ago,” said Seth Stern, chief of advocacy at Freedom of the Press Foundation.

— Seth Stern

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Trump Media said selling fast access to traders is common in its industry, and that the plaintiffs are just trying to silence the president.

— Trump Media

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The plaintiffs argue that Trump’s deal giving exclusive Truth Social access to his posts for six hours before being distributed elsewhere violates the First and Fifth Amendments.