President Trump’s press access dispute sparks backlash as Scotland trip excludes Wall Street Journal journalists. Brendan Smialowski / AFP
EPICSTORIAN — The White House has removed The Wall Street Journal from the group of reporters scheduled to accompany President Donald Trump on his upcoming trip to Scotland.
The exclusion has further strained relations between the White House and The Wall Street Journal, amid an ongoing dispute over the paper’s reporting on Jeffrey Epstein.
The decision follows a legal dispute over the Journal’s reporting on Jeffrey Epstein.
The White House press office said the exclusion was linked to “fake and defamatory conduct,” a reference to claims made in a recent article alleging connections between Trump and Epstein, which the president strongly denies.
The move has reignited concerns over press freedom and political retaliation.
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the decision, stating the White House is not obligated to provide any specific outlet with access.
Earlier this year, the administration took full control over access to the traveling press pool, ending the longstanding practice of independent assignments by the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA).
Trump White House Press Pool Restrictions Raise Media Freedom Concerns
The Trump White House press pool typically includes a small number of reporters who provide shared coverage of presidential events, including those held on Air Force One and within the Oval Office.
Media organizations rely on this access to ensure transparency and accountability in government coverage.
The exclusion of the Journal drew immediate criticism from the WHCA. Its president, Weijia Jiang, described the move as retaliatory and warned it risks undermining the First Amendment. Jiang called on the White House to reverse the decision and uphold standards of press independence.
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This is not the first dispute between the Trump administration and major media outlets. Earlier this year, tensions escalated with the Associated Press after the AP declined to adopt the administration’s preferred renaming of the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.
White House Defends Exclusion of The Wall Street Journal from Scotland Trip Amid Ongoing Epstein Reporting Dispute
Media watchdogs also voiced concern about the precedent the White House is setting. Seth Stern of the Freedom of the Press Foundation described the action as “vindictive” and warned that barring journalists over editorial content threatens democratic norms. “Access cannot be denied simply because reporting makes those in power uncomfortable,” Stern said.
A spokesperson for The Wall Street Journal declined to comment directly on the exclusion but reaffirmed confidence in the publication’s reporting and its defense against Trump’s defamation lawsuit. The case relates to a story alleging Trump’s involvement in a 2003 birthday letter and drawing sent to Epstein.
The Trump White House press pool has become a central focus in broader debates about press access and government transparency.
Journalists in the pool serve as representatives for the wider media and the public, particularly during foreign trips like the upcoming Scotland visit.
The Journal’s original reporting on Epstein’s birthday letters is available here. Further analysis from media rights groups can be found via the Freedom of the Press Foundation.
The White House has yet to announce which outlet will replace the Journal on the Scotland trip press pool rotation.
