A federal judge is currently reviewing a lawsuit challenging the practice of charging up to $100 000 per month for API access to President Trump's posts on Truth Social. The platform is owned by Trump Media and Technology Group, where the president is the majority shareholder.
The Department of Justice, representing the administration, argues that the fees are a private commercial decision by the company and compared the posts to Franklin D. Roosevelt's fireside chats. The DOJ suggested that the cost is a barrier to entry similar to the cost of radios in the 1930s and 1940s.
Plaintiffs, including the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington and The Intercept, contend that the scheme violates the First and Fifth Amendments. They argue that the API provides a machine-readable feed and a historic archive, creating discriminatory access to government information.
During the hearing, the judge noted the lack of legal precedent for an elected official owning a media company that profits from presidential announcements. The court did not issue an immediate ruling, with a written decision on a potential injunction expected in the coming weeks.
