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The White House has removed the Wall Street Journal from its rotating press pool for President Donald Trump’s upcoming trip to Scotland, a decision that follows the Journal’s report on a 2003 message Trump allegedly sent to Jeffrey Epstein.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the decision to POLITICO on Sunday, citing what she called the Journal’s “fake and defamatory conduct” following its Epstein-related story. The move comes just days after Trump filed a $10 billion lawsuit against the paper, alleging defamation. Trump denies sending the sexually suggestive message to Epstein.
“As the appeals court confirmed, the Wall Street Journal or any other news outlet are not guaranteed special access to cover President Trump in the Oval Office, aboard Air Force One, and in his private workspaces,” Leavitt said in a statement.
“Due to the Wall Street Journal’s fake and defamatory conduct, they will not be one of the thirteen outlets on board.”
Reporter Pulled from Pool Rotation
Wall Street Journal reporter Tarini Parti, who was scheduled to serve as the print pooler for the final two days of Trump’s four-day visit to golf properties in Turnberry and Aberdeen, Scotland, was removed from the manifest by the White House. Parti was not one of the authors on the Epstein story.
This marks the latest use of White House control over pool rotations, a responsibility previously managed by the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) before the Trump administration assumed it earlier this year.
A spokesperson for the Wall Street Journal declined to comment, and it remains unclear whether the outlet will be reinstated for future travel or on-campus access.
WHCA and Media Respond
Newly elected WHCA president Weijia Jiang of CBS News issued a strong rebuke of the White House’s action.
“This attempt by the White House to punish a media outlet whose coverage it does not like is deeply troubling, and it defies the First Amendment,” Jiang said in a statement.
“Government retaliation against news outlets based on the content of their reporting should concern all who value free speech and an independent media.”
Jiang called on the administration to restore the Journal’s travel pool status and emphasized the WHCA’s willingness to “work with the administration to find a quick resolution.”
Several journalists within the Wall Street Journal’s Washington bureau also declined to speak on the record about the decision.
Trump’s Broader Fight with the Media
The removal of the Journal comes amid ongoing clashes between the Trump administration and major media outlets. Earlier this year, Associated Press journalists were barred from all press pools after the outlet refused to adopt the White House’s preferred term “Gulf of America” in place of “Gulf of Mexico.”
Now, Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit over the Journal’s Epstein story marks a new legal front in his battle with the press. The paper has stood by its reporting, though its editorial leadership has remained largely silent since the lawsuit was filed.
The story at the center of the controversy claims Trump sent Epstein a birthday greeting in 2003 laced with innuendo. Trump has denied ever writing such a message, calling the claim “100% fake.”
What’s Next?
While the White House insists this is a limited, one-time removal, the lack of clarity over future access — combined with its increasing control over press credentials and pool rotations — has raised alarm bells among press freedom advocates.
The WHCA, media watchdogs, and other journalists argue the White House’s new pattern represents a coordinated effort to reward favorable coverage and punish outlets that publish critical reporting.
Whether the Wall Street Journal is reinstated for future trips or events remains uncertain, but for now, Trump’s trip to Scotland will move forward without one of the nation’s leading financial publications aboard Air Force One.
