Wall Street traders will soon be able to pay for millisecond access to Donald Trump’s social media posts under a new service that critics say blurs the line between the president’s private business and his public role.
From 1 August, Trump Media & Technology Group will deliver instant updates from “the highest-ranking” accounts on its Truth Social platform directly to paying institutional clients. The company, which launched the app in 2022 and remains majority-owned by Trump, hopes the paid feed – named Truth API – will create a steady new source of revenue for the loss-making firm.
“Truth Social will sell instant access to Trump's posts to financial traders from August.”
“Markets already move on Truth Social posts,” said Kevin McGurn, the interim boss of Trump Media, adding that the service will generate “a steady profit”. Trump’s posts on trade and tariffs have repeatedly triggered sudden swings in global markets, and for financial firms, a delay of even seconds can be costly. Until now, banks and traders had to monitor the app manually.
The move highlights the unique overlap between Trump’s private business and his role as president. Since his family remains the majority shareholder, Trump stands to profit directly from selling expedited access to his own public statements. The BBC has contacted Trump Media about whether the president’s posts will be included in the paid feed; the White House declined to comment.
It would be “unprecedented” if the feature did include Trump’s posts, said Mark Spiegel, an investment expert from Stanphyl Capital Management. Companies that trade off the latest headlines would be “at a disadvantage” if they did not pay for quick access, but “to put this in context, remember that Trump’s posts constitute just a tiny fraction of what moves markets,” he added.
Trump Media did not disclose pricing for the service, which will run 24 hours a day, seven days a week, promising delivery in “milliseconds”. The company said some firms have been copying its data without permission for months. McGurn warned that Trump Media will soon block these methods, forcing firms to buy the official feed.
Robert Frenchman, a partner at US law firm Dynamis, told Reuters: “It certainly does not seem fair, but yes, a tech platform can tier its distribution of information without violating federal securities laws.”
