In a move that has ethics watchdogs reaching for the smelling salts, Donald Trump is now offering early access to his Truth Social posts - for a price. The Truth API, launched Saturday by Trump Media and Technology Group, gives paying customers a real-time feed of the platform's most 'market-moving Truths', according to interim CEO Kevin McGurn. The cost? Up to $100,000 per month. Because nothing says 'democracy in action' like selling your own policy announcements to the highest bidder.

Trading firms and other subscribers can now get Trump's musings before the general public, a feature that critics say is less about innovation and more about, well, corruption. The president, who is also the largest shareholder of the publicly traded parent company, stands to personally benefit from this venture. His @realDonaldTrump account, with 13 million followers, is the platform's biggest draw, and he's known to drop major policy decisions there first - decisions that can move markets.

Senators Adam Schiff and Elizabeth Warren have already called on the SEC to investigate, writing to chair Paul Atkins that the service appears to be 'an outrageous abuse of the President's office for his personal benefit.' They're not wrong. Last year, Trump posted over 100 times in a single day while markets tumbled amid 'Trumpcession' fears. His Iran posts have also spooked investors worried about oil prices and inflation.

Meanwhile, Trump Media's stock has plummeted over 70% since he took office, wiping out $6bn in shareholder value. But hey, why not diversify? The company is betting the API will bring in new revenue, though it's hard to see how selling your own tweets isn't just a high-tech shakedown. As Forbes reported, shares actually climbed 5.5% to $10.39 on Friday, so maybe there's a market for this kind of thing. Or maybe it's just the latest chapter in the ongoing saga of turning the presidency into a cash cow.