RIO DE JANEIRO, Feb 23 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's Trump Media & Technology Group and video-sharing platform Rumble have filed an emergency motion in a U.S. court against Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, according to a statement released on Sunday.
The Justice had ordered the suspension of the video platform in Brazil until it complies with court directives following a ruling in the U.S. District Court in Tampa involving accusations of illegal censorship.
At the time of this report, Brazil's Supreme Court had not responded to a request for comment.
The motion aims to halt the judge's orders, asserting that Moraes' decisions "violate American sovereignty, the U.S. Constitution, and U.S. laws."
The firms declared in their statement that Moraes had issued threats of criminal charges against Rumble's CEO, Chris Pavlovski.
Moraes, who also presided over the case, directed the temporary halt of Rumble's services until the company designates a legal representative in Brazil, in accordance with local regulations for foreign enterprises.
Additionally, Moraes instructed the settlement of outstanding fines and the suspension of monetization for the account of Allan dos Santos, a digital influencer aligned with former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who was also ordered to cease monetizing his profile.
Currently residing in the United States, Dos Santos faces allegations of hate speech and spreading false information, leading to his status as a fugitive in Brazil under investigation.
Moraes has been active in countering perceived threats to democracy and the manipulation of disinformation for political purposes, particularly during the Bolsonaro administration, a stance that has drawn criticism from figures like Tesla owner Elon Musk in the process.