Trump's sale of early access to Truth Social posts raises eyebrows

WASHINGTON: Trump Media and Technology Group on Saturday launched Truth API, a paid product that gives subscribers almost instantaneous access to President Donald Trump's messages on Truth Social — crucial seconds ahead of the general public.

The product, first unveiled in mid-July, carries monthly subscription rates running from US$60,000 to US$100,000, according to news outlet Axios. The Wall Street Journal reported that five trading companies signed up shortly after the launch.

The idea behind the service is "getting the fastest investors and algorithms a split-second advantage", Art Hogan, an analyst with B. Riley Wealth Management, told AFP.

Much of Trump's output on Truth Social consists of AI memes and insults aimed at political opponents. But he also uses the platform to announce major news, ranging from developments in the Iran war to trade tariffs, all of which can instantly send market values tumbling or soaring.

Hours after the new service was launched, Trump offered a clear display of that power: when he announced on Saturday that he was calling off a plan to attack Iran, oil prices dropped.

'Outrageous abuse'

Critics say it is corruption, pure and simple. Democratic Senator Mark Warner announced on X on Tuesday that he had introduced a bill "to crack down on this corruption and ensure all Americans have free and equal access to public announcements from government officials".

His colleagues Elizabeth Warren and Adam Schiff called last week for a probe by the Securities and Exchange Commission, which regulates US stock markets, into what they described as an "outrageous abuse of the President's office for his personal benefit".

Ann Lipton, a law professor at the University of Colorado, Boulder, who specialises in stock market regulation, said Trump knows the value of his statements and that the more he rattles markets, the more valuable his new service becomes.

"It gives Trump an incentive to post things that move the markets regardless of whether those kinds of disclosures are in the interests of the American people," she said.

Trump has dismissed such concerns. Last month he defended making around US$1.2 billion from cryptocurrency ventures in 2025, arguing that "everybody is profiting" from a stock market boom since his return to the White House.

A CNN/SSRS poll released in late July found 64% of respondents felt Trump had gone "too far" in pursuing personal financial interests while in office. Forbes estimates his net worth has risen from US$2.3 billion to US$6.5 billion since 2024, when he defeated Kamala Harris.