President Trump reportedly clashes with AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile over spam texts

President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign is reportedly fighting cellphone carriers over the right to send Americans unsolicited texts. The campaign’s lawyers are in active talks with phone companies after a third-party screening tool blocked President Trump texts in early July. The campaign alleges that screening the texts amounts to suppressing political speech, while carriers fear allowing them will result in fines for violating anti-spam rules.

The 2020 election has brought a wave of text messages from across the political spectrum, particularly with the pandemic limiting in-person outreach. Many users didn’t opt in to these missives, and it’s unclear whether they violate federal laws meant to curb unwanted texts. The Trump administration, meanwhile, has imposed steeper fines for spammy and illegal robocalls. That’s reportedly put carriers on edge despite President Trump’s campaign contending it’s not illegally automating texts. A campaign spokesperson said that it stands by its programs. “Any effort by the carriers to restrict the campaign from contacting its supporters is suppression of political speech. Plain and simple.”

Apparently, there is a “standoff” between Trump and carriers, mediated at one point by President Trump’s adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner, who apparently called the CEOs of Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile to complain about the block.