Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), the parent company of Truth Social, and video platform Rumble have jointly filed a lawsuit against Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, alleging censorship of American voices on social media.

The lawsuit, filed in a U.S. federal court, accuses Moraes of exceeding his authority by issuing a "gag order" impacting American companies operating primarily within the United States. The companies claim Moraes's actions, targeting an individual identified as "Political Dissident A" who sought asylum in the U.S., are an overreach of Brazilian law.

The lawsuit alleges that Moraes ordered Rumble to block the account of "Political Dissident A" or face being shut down in Brazil. The plaintiffs argue that the alleged offenses—spreading misinformation and criticizing the Supreme Court—are protected speech under U.S. law. They further contend that Moraes's actions violate the First Amendment, clash with the Communications Decency Act, and defy principles of international comity.

TMTG and Rumble are seeking a judgment declaring Moraes’s orders unenforceable in the U.S. They emphasize that neither company has any presence in Brazil and that Moraes's actions directly impact U.S. operations and free speech principles. The lawsuit highlights the potential for Moraes to pressure tech giants like Google and Apple to remove Rumble from their app stores, impacting both Rumble and Truth Social, which relies on Rumble’s technology.

The plaintiffs argue that Moraes's extraterritorial censorship attempts set a dangerous precedent, threatening free speech in the U.S. and globally. They are asking the court to reject the enforceability of Moraes's orders, citing violations of legal mechanisms, U.S. sovereignty, and U.S. law.

The lawsuit comes amidst Moraes's broader efforts to combat misinformation and alleged anti-democratic actions in Brazil, including a recent indictment against former President Jair Bolsonaro, a Trump ally. Moraes has previously clashed with Elon Musk, blocking his social media network in Brazil until Musk complied with orders to suspend accounts of Bolsonaro supporters.