Trump sued over Truth Social advance access sale

U.S. President Donald Trump was sued Wednesday by two media organizations over a controversial service that sells faster access to his posts on Truth Social, reported Xinhua.

The lawsuit, filed in New York by The Intercept, a media outlet, and the non-profit Freedom of the Press Foundation, notes that the scheme is "extraordinary, corrupt and unconstitutional."

Seeking to block the plan, the two groups said Trump's posts often move financial markets with announcements about government policy, military actions and other decisions.

Trump Media & Technology Group, Truth Social's parent company, announced in July that it would sell early access to the U.S. president's Truth Social posts. The service can cost up to 100,000 U.S. dollars per month, or 60,000 dollars per month if users commit to three years.

Trump is the largest shareholder in the company and his stake is held in a trust overseen by his eldest son Donald Trump Jr.

The Wall Street Journal has reported that trading companies were among the first subscribers to the service.

"This scheme is profoundly corrupt," the two organizations said in their complaint. "The president stands to gain financially by giving 'market-moving' government information to those who are willing and able to pay his personal company."

The plan also drew backlash from Democratic lawmakers, who called for a probe into the service by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.