The White House, on Monday, removed The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) from the press pool covering President Donald Trump's upcoming Scotland trip. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt cited the WSJ's "fake and defamatory conduct" as the reason for the exclusion. This action follows a WSJ report alleging that Trump sent a suggestive birthday letter to Jeffrey Epstein in 2003. Trump subsequently sued the WSJ and its owners for $10 billion. Thirteen other news outlets will cover the trip.

The decision is not unprecedented; the Trump administration has previously barred other major news outlets from press pools after publishing unfavorable reports. This follows the White House's February decision to take control of press pool oversight from the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA). WHCA President Weijia Jiang criticized the exclusion, stating that government retaliation against news outlets based on reporting content threatens free speech and an independent media. The WSJ maintains it will "vigorously defend" itself against the lawsuit.

Impact Statement: This action raises concerns about press freedom and the administration's relationship with the media. The ongoing legal battle and the precedent set by excluding news outlets could further strain the relationship between the Trump administration and the press.