The Trump administration has excluded The Wall Street Journal from the press pool for the president’s upcoming Scotland trip, scheduled for July 25-29, 2025, as announced by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt to Politico on July 21.
This decision follows President Trump’s $10 billion libel lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal and its publisher, Dow Jones, filed on July 18, over a July 17 report claiming Trump sent Jeffrey Epstein a “bawdy” birthday note in 2003. The note allegedly featured typewritten text within a hand-drawn outline of a naked woman and included a third-person dialogue between Trump and Epstein.
Leavitt cited a recent appeals court ruling affirming Trump’s authority to bar outlets like the Associated Press from certain areas, such as the Oval Office.
She stated, “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, or in his private workspaces. Due to the Wall Street Journal’s fake and defamatory conduct, they will not be one of the thirteen outlets on board.” She emphasized the administration’s efforts to include diverse media voices, noting global interest in covering Trump.