More than 10 customers have signed up for a controversial service launched by Trump Media and Technology Group that gives financial firms faster access to influential posts published on Truth Social.

The service, called Truth API, was introduced at the beginning of August and provides Wall Street traders with early access to posts from some of the social media platform’s most influential accounts. Many of its first customers are high-frequency trading firms paying between $60,000 and $100,000 a month, interim chief executive Kevin McGurn said during the company’s earnings call.

The service has raised concerns because US President Donald Trump frequently uses Truth Social to make announcements and comment on markets, companies and economic issues. Trump’s family remains the majority shareholder of Trump Media, creating questions over whether the company could financially benefit from faster access to statements made by the president.

Trump Media said in its latest earnings statement that Truth API is expected to create a new source of revenue. McGurn said the company believes the service could become a significant and lasting contributor to its business.

The announcement came as Trump Media reported a net loss of $238 million for the second quarter, covering April through June. The loss was more than 10 times the deficit recorded during the same period a year earlier.

The company generated $1.7 million in revenue during the quarter, an increase of 89% from a year earlier. However, losses linked to the decline in cryptocurrency values weighed heavily on its overall results.

Trump Media ended June with about $2 billion in total assets, including roughly $1.9 billion in financial assets such as cash, short-term investments and digital currencies.

The company has expanded beyond its original social media business into cryptocurrency and clean-energy investments. It has also explored possible partnerships involving technology companies, news organisations and betting markets.

Analyst Markus Thielen of 10x Research described the company as being heavily focused on cryptocurrency, with its media operation surrounding that business. He said the company was now attempting to diversify, although its newer ventures have yet to produce substantial income.

Truth API has also attracted scrutiny over whether paying customers could gain a trading advantage by receiving market-sensitive posts before the wider public. The issue is particularly sensitive because of Trump’s political position and his frequent use of Truth Social.

Trump Media has said the service fits within its broader strategy to expand revenue from Truth Social. The company recently abandoned plans for a separate partnership with Crypto.com to add prediction-market features to the platform.

Germany is entering the new school year with a serious shortage of teachers, leaving schools struggling to fill vacancies and maintain regular lessons in several subjects.

The staffing crisis is particularly severe in mathematics, computer science, physics and chemistry. Schools also continue to report shortages in special-needs education, art and music.

According to the latest projection from the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs, Germany has a calculated shortage of about 27,000 fully qualified teachers. State governments have responded by creating additional positions, recruiting people from other professions and offering financial incentives, but shortages remain widespread.

The situation is especially difficult in some regions. Brandenburg Education Minister Gordon Hoffmann warned in June that the state might not be able to guarantee regular timetables everywhere during the new school year. Rural areas and subjects including biology and chemistry are among those facing particular pressure.

North Rhine-Westphalia is also struggling despite having more than 166,000 teaching positions. More than 7,770 posts remained vacant in the state, according to the latest figures.

Long-term sickness is adding another challenge. In Berlin, 380 teachers had been absent because of illness for at least one year, according to figures from the city’s education administration. The total includes 225 civil servants and 155 salaried teachers among roughly 35,000 teachers employed in the capital.

Eighteen Berlin teachers had reportedly been on sick leave for at least 10 years. Primary schools were the most affected, with 98 teachers absent for extended periods, followed by secondary schools with 54.

Berlin lawmaker Alexander King said staffing shortages were contributing to heavier workloads for teachers who remained in their jobs, potentially increasing pressure on their health.

Other states are reporting similar concerns. In North Rhine-Westphalia, teachers spent an average of 8.43% of working days on sick leave in 2025, higher than the rate across the wider state administration. In Saxony-Anhalt, about 8.6% of lessons were cancelled during the 2024/25 school year because replacement teachers could not be found.

Nationwide comparisons remain difficult because states collect data differently and use varying definitions for long-term illness.

The staffing problem is expected to continue as many experienced teachers approach retirement. Federal statistics show that 35.4% of teachers at general education schools were aged 50 or older during the 2024/25 school year.

At the same time, Germany’s pupil population is expected to rise. The education ministers’ conference projects the number of pupils to increase from nearly 11.2 million in 2024 to almost 11.8 million by 2032.

The combination of retirements, rising pupil numbers and lengthy teacher training means German schools are likely to face staffing pressure for years to come.