Trump finds yet another way to profit from the presidency

Key Points:

• Former President Trump’s Truth Social platform has launched Truth API, a high-speed data feed offering real-time access to his posts and those of other influential accounts, targeting wealthy Wall Street firms for premium access.
• The service aims to boost Trump Media & Technology Group, which is struggling financially and merging with nuclear-fusion company TAE Technologies while scaling back cryptocurrency ventures; Trump owns about 41% of the company.
• Critics, including Democratic senators Elizabeth Warren and Adam Schiff, argue Truth API constitutes an unethical privatization of presidential communications that could undermine market integrity and enrich insiders, prompting calls for SEC investigation.
• Trump Media’s interim CEO defends the service as publicly available information, dismissing concerns about insider trading, while experts highlight the potential unfairness of charging for accelerated access to official presidential announcements.
• The controversy underscores Trump’s pattern of monetizing his presidency for personal gain, with past deals involving crypto sales and gifts like a $400 million Boeing jet from Qatar, raising ongoing ethical and legal questions.