The White House has removed The Wall Street Journal from the press pool covering President Donald Trump's upcoming trip to Scotland, citing the newspaper's recent report regarding an alleged "bawdy" birthday letter sent to Jeffrey Epstein. This decision, announced Monday by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, follows the Journal's publication of a story detailing a purported 2003 letter to Epstein. Thirteen diverse news outlets will now comprise the press pool for the presidential visit.
The Wall Street Journal's report alleged that President Trump sent a sexually suggestive message and a drawing of a nude woman to Jeffrey Epstein for his 50th birthday in 2003. According to the Journal, the message read, "Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret." President Trump has vehemently denied the existence of such a letter, labeling it "FAKE."
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the Journal's exclusion was "due to the Wall Street Journal’s fake and defamatory conduct." She emphasized that while the White House aims to include as many voices as possible, special access is not guaranteed. The reporter initially slated to cover the trip for the Journal was reportedly not involved in writing the controversial Epstein story.
The removal comes days after President Trump filed a libel lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal and its parent companies, seeking $20 billion in damages over the report. This legal action underscores the administration's strong reaction to the article, which has intensified scrutiny of Trump's past ties to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Organizations advocating for press freedom have criticized the White House's move. Seth Stern, director of advocacy at the Freedom of the Press Foundation, called the action "unconstitutional — not to mention thin-skinned and vindictive — for a president to rescind access to punish a news outlet for publishing a story he tried to kill." The Trump administration has previously asserted more control over press pool composition than prior administrations.