The Trump administration, on Monday, barred The Wall Street Journal from accompanying President Trump on a trip to Scotland this weekend. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt cited the Journal's "fake and defamatory conduct," referencing the newspaper's reporting on a 2003 letter from Trump to Jeffrey Epstein. The Journal reported that the letter was "bawdy," a claim Trump denies and which prompted a $20 billion defamation lawsuit against the newspaper and its owners filed on Friday, 2024-MM-DD. The White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) president Weijia Jiang called the administration's move "deeply troubling," expressing concern about government retaliation against news outlets based on their reporting.

The ban follows a February incident where the Associated Press was excluded from events for its continued use of "Gulf of Mexico" despite Trump's executive order renaming it the "Gulf of America". This action comes amidst pressure on Trump to release more information regarding investigations into Epstein, particularly from his "Make America Great Again" base, who suspect a conspiracy involving powerful elites. Trump, who previously called Epstein a "closest friend," acknowledged knowing him but stated in 2019 that they hadn't spoken in 15 years.

Impact Statement: This action raises concerns about press freedom and the Trump administration's relationship with the media.