San Francisco sues Trump Media over early access to Trump posts

San Francisco has filed a lawsuit against Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), the parent company of Truth Social, alleging that the platform’s “Truth API” feed sold early access to President Donald Trump’s posts constitutes a corrupt business scheme. The suit, filed in California state court today, claims the practice violates the state’s Unfair Competition Law and federal ethics and anti‑corruption statutes that prohibit insider trading.

The complaint details how the API provided privileged, time‑sensitive content to select users before it appeared publicly, thereby giving those users an unfair advantage in markets that could be influenced by the President’s statements. TMTG has defended the feature as a legitimate business offering, while the city’s attorneys argue that the arrangement amounts to a form of insider trading that undermines fair market practices.

White House spokesperson Davis Ingle has recently referred to Truth Social as “the most powerful and popular social media platform in the world,” a claim that the city’s lawsuit notes is not supported by credible evidence. The case will determine whether the company’s business model breaches state and federal law, with implications for how political content is monetized on social media platforms.