Lawsuit Targets Early-Access Service

A legal challenge has been filed against President Donald Trump and two of his top White House aides over a service that would provide paying customers early access to the president's Truth Social posts.

The lawsuit, filed earlier this month in New York federal court by The Intercept and the Freedom of the Press Foundation, seeks to stop the president from charging up to $100,000 per month for such access, arguing it violates the First Amendment right to the president's public announcements. The plaintiffs are asking a federal judge to block Trump, aides Natalie Harp and Dan Scavino, the White House, and the Executive Office of the President from posting "official government information exclusively on Truth Social" while the fee is in place.

The Monday court filing names Trump, Harp, Scavino, the Executive Office of the President, and the White House, along with "other persons who are in active concert or participation" with them regarding Truth Social. The plaintiffs have also requested a court order declaring the exclusive posting of government information on the platform unconstitutional.

The filing seeks a preliminary injunction that would prohibit Harp and Trump "from posting, or allowing to be posted, announcements" on Truth Social "so long as 'Truth API' is in operation," with no free version of the content available before or at the same time as the paid access.

The Service Under Scrutiny

The service at the center of the dispute, known as "Truth API," was introduced in July by Trump Media & Technology Group, the parent company of Truth Social. It grants subscribers early access to the president's posts in exchange for a fee reported as $100,000 a month. The plaintiffs allege that this "scheme is profoundly corrupt," arguing that Trump "stands to gain financially by giving 'market-moving' government information to those who are willing and able to pay his personal company."

Ben Muessig, editor-in-chief of The Intercept, said in a statement: "Trump is trying to enrich himself by privatizing government information that he has no right to sell. We won't let it stand."

The lawsuit asserts that "the First Amendment guarantees equal access to the President's public announcements." It also claims the service violates Fifth Amendment rights, as reported by The Daily Beast.

Roles of the Named Aides

The suit identifies Natalie Harp, 35, as the "primary" staffer helping Trump post on his social media account. Harp, a former anchor and host at One America News who began working for Trump in 2022, reportedly helps the president compile content for Truth Social at all hours, in part by printing it out for him to see, according to reports cited by The Independent. She earns a taxpayer-funded salary of $150,000 a year.

In a 2024 Fox News interview, Harp described her workflow: "Many times, the president wants to get his thoughts out on paper, so I'll take dictation, print, and then he works on it until he has the words just right for a viral Truth."

Dan Scavino, 50, the White House Deputy Chief of Staff, is described in the lawsuit as an aide who "regularly publishes President Trump's Truth Social posts on his behalf." He also served as a Social Media Consultant for Trump Media between 2021 and 2025, according to a financial disclosure report mentioned by The Independent.

Legal Proceedings and Responses

The White House declined to comment on the lawsuit, referring inquiries to Trump Media & Technology Group, though the company itself is not a defendant in the case. A judge has not yet ruled on the plaintiffs' request.

Harp has previously attracted media attention when the Daily Beast published in full two letters she wrote to Trump, including one in which she hailed him as her "Guardian and Protector."