Washington [US], July 22 (ANI): The White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) has strongly condemned the White House’s decision to remove The Wall Street Journal from the traveling press pool for the upcoming Scotland trip, citing concerns over the publication’s editorial content.
President Trump is scheduled to visit his ancestral home in Scotland from July 25 to 29, with stops in Aberdeen and Turnberry, according to CBS News.
In an on-the-record statement, the WHCA said, “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. Government retaliation against news outlets based on the content of their reporting should concern all who value free speech and an independent media.”
WHCA President Weijia Jiang said she directly communicated the association’s strong objection to the White House decision, calling the move unacceptable. She added that efforts are underway to clarify whether this removal is a one-time action or if the White House plans to exclude The Wall Street Journal from all pool rotations, which could impact planning for many media outlets. “As of this writing, that remains unclear. I will share updates as I receive them,” Jiang said, encouraging members to reach out with any questions or concerns.
The move follows The Journal’s publication of an article last Thursday revealing a lewd birthday note allegedly sent to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in 2003. The note included a drawing of a nude woman and ended with the message, “Happy Birthday, and may every day be another wonderful secret,” according to The Washington Post. The paper reported the note was signed by Trump. The White House described the drawing and letter as fake and said it had pressured The Journal not to publish the article.
Following publication, a lawsuit was filed against The Journal’s publisher, Dow Jones, its parent company, News Corp, CEO Robert Thomson, Rupert Murdoch, and two Journal reporters, The Washington Post reported.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday, “Thirteen diverse outlets will participate in the press pool to cover the President’s trip to Scotland. Due to The Wall Street Journal’s fake and defamatory conduct, they will not be one of the 13 outlets on board,” according to The Washington Post.
A Wall Street Journal spokeswoman declined to comment, while Dow Jones defended its reporting last week, stating, “We have full confidence in the rigor and accuracy of our reporting, and will vigorously defend against any lawsuit,” as reported by The Washington Post.
The press pool—comprising journalists from various outlets who travel with the president and serve as the eyes and ears of the broader White House press corps—has faced increasing pressure from the Trump administration. This includes the administration assuming control over deciding which publications may participate, a role previously managed by the Correspondents’ Association, according to The Washington Post.
Earlier, the White House also barred The Associated Press from the press pool over its refusal to use the administration’s preferred name change for the Gulf of Mexico, highlighting ongoing tensions with certain media outlets, The Washington Post added. (ANI)
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