The White House is removing the Wall Street Journal from the pool of reporters covering the president’s weekend trip to Scotland.
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Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said access changes were made in response to the Wall Street Journal’s “fake and defamatory” reporting about Trump and Jeffrey Epstein.
The Journal’s July 17th story described birthday letters Epstein received in 2003, including one allegedly from Trump with a sketch of a nude woman.
Trump denied the claims and filed a defamation lawsuit, saying no such letter or drawing exists.
READ: Request to unseal Epstein grand jury transcripts likely to disappoint, ex-prosecutors say
A Journal reporter, uninvolved in the story, was scheduled for a press pool spot during Trump’s trip to Scotland but was blocked.
Earlier this year, Leavitt removed the White House Correspondents’ Association from the pool assignment process, giving the administration direct control over press access.
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