Media365
Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), the parent company of Truth Social, has launched a paid data service that gives banks, hedge funds and trading firms faster access to influential posts on the platform, including those from US President Donald Trump, raising fresh questions about fairness in financial markets.
The new product, called Truth API, provides licensed, real-time access to posts from the platform’s 10 most influential accounts, delivering updates significantly faster than the standard push notifications available to ordinary Truth Social users.
TMTG said the service is aimed at organisations “most impacted by the cost of a delay in information”, particularly algorithmic trading firms and financial institutions that rely on rapid news flows to execute trades.
“Until now, firms that prioritise tracking influential Truth posts have relied on manual monitoring. Truth API closes the gap,” the company said in a statement.
The launch marks TMTG’s first move into data licensing, opening a new revenue stream for the company as it seeks to diversify beyond its social media business amid stiff competition from larger platforms such as X, Meta and TikTok.
“Markets already move on Truth Social posts. As adoption grows, we expect Truth API to become a meaningful, ongoing source of revenue for the company,” TMTG interim Chief Executive Kevin McGurn said.
Trump’s posts have repeatedly moved markets
Trump has increasingly used Truth Social to announce major policy decisions, particularly on tariffs, trade and geopolitics, with several of his posts triggering sharp swings in global financial markets.
Among the most notable examples came on April 9, 2025, when Wall Street’s main stock indexes surged after Trump announced on Truth Social that he would pause many of his newly announced tariffs for 90 days, easing fears of an escalating global trade war.
His earlier announcements on “Liberation Day” tariffs and restrictions on trade with China also rattled equity, currency and commodity markets, making Truth Social a closely watched platform for investors.
Debate over unequal access
The launch has prompted questions over whether paying customers could gain an information advantage over retail investors and smaller market participants.
Robert Frenchman, a partner at New York-based Dynamis law firm who has represented clients in federal trading investigations, said technology platforms are generally permitted to provide premium access to information, even if it creates unequal distribution.
“It certainly does not seem fair, but yes, a tech platform can tier its distribution of information without violating federal securities laws,” Frenchman told Reuters.
Asked whether the new service could create uneven trading opportunities, Spiegel said financial markets have always featured disparities in access to information and execution speed.
“There were always uneven trading opportunities — this would be just one more,” he said.
Political criticism
The launch also drew criticism from US lawmakers.
Senator Ron Wyden, the senior Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, said the service would financially benefit the Trump family while helping Wall Street traders profit from quicker access to presidential posts.
According to regulatory filings, the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust owns about 114.75 million shares, representing roughly 41 per cent of TMTG’s outstanding stock. The trust, which manages Trump’s investments, is overseen by his children. The White House has previously rejected suggestions that Trump’s business interests create conflicts of interest.
New business strategy
For TMTG, Truth API represents an attempt to monetise one of its most valuable assets: the market-moving influence of Trump’s online presence.
The company said the service will provide round-the-clock monitoring of influential accounts and include an archive of posts dating back to 2022. It has already secured customers ahead of its planned August 1 launch.
The list of accounts covered includes Trump, his sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, as well as prominent conservative personalities such as Dan Bongino and Sean Hannity.
TMTG also said some firms have been scraping Truth Social data in violation of the platform’s terms of service.
“We’re going to create a lot of friction for those folks that aren’t coming to us directly,” McGurn said.
The launch reflects a growing trend in financial markets where social media posts by influential political leaders have become valuable trading signals. By selling faster access to those updates, TMTG is seeking to transform presidential influence into a commercial data product — while reigniting debate over whether speed itself has become a commodity on Wall Street.
With input from agencies.
