Just days before President Trump’s trip to Scotland, a media storm has broken out—and it’s not over policy or diplomacy.
It’s about a letter from 2003 and who gets to be on Air Force One.
On Monday, the White House removed a Wall Street Journal reporter from the press pool scheduled to travel with the president.
The move came after the paper published an explosive report claiming that Trump once signed a crude birthday card to the late Jeffrey Epstein.
The Controversial Letter at the Center of It All
According to the Journal’s reporting, the president allegedly signed a “bawdy” 50th birthday note to Epstein more than two decades ago.
The letter reportedly included a drawing of a naked woman and ended with the message:
“Happy Birthday – and may every day be another wonderful secret.”
That report quickly set off alarms, with the White House slamming it as completely fabricated.
Trump publicly called the story “fake,” criticizing the Journal for what he described as irresponsible journalism.
White House Boots Wall Street Journal from Scotland Trip
In response to the article, the administration barred the Journal from joining the president’s upcoming five-day visit to Scotland, where he’s set to spend time at his golf courses in Turnberry and Aberdeen.
The outlet was supposed to be part of the rotating press pool that typically travels with the president—but now, they’re out.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the decision, telling Politico,
“Due to the Wall Street Journal’s fake and defamatory conduct, they will not be one of the thirteen outlets on board.”
She went on to boast that media outlets across the globe are eager to cover the president and insisted the administration has gone out of its way to be inclusive.
Journalists Push Back on Retaliation
The move sparked a strong reaction from the journalism community.
The White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) called it a dangerous precedent, warning against punishing reporters for the content of their reporting.
“Government retaliation against news outlets based on the content of their reporting should concern all who value free speech and an independent media,” said WHCA President Weijia Jiang, a CBS News correspondent.
She called on the White House to immediately reverse the decision and reinstate the Wall Street Journal to the travel pool.
Lawsuit Adds Fuel to the Fire
If that weren’t enough, Trump is now going after the Wall Street Journal legally.
He has filed a $10 billion lawsuit against both the newspaper and Rupert Murdoch, branding the report as “false, malicious, and defamatory.”
The lawsuit seeks a jury trial and demands damages, punitive damages, court costs, and any other relief the court finds appropriate—totaling no less than $10 billion.
However, the case could face complications, as it’s landed in the courtroom of Judge Darrin Gayles, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama.
Not the First Time a Media Outlet Has Been Cut Off
This isn’t the first time the Trump administration has cut access to major media outlets.
Back in February, the Associated Press was also booted from the traveling press pool.
The reason? Their refusal to comply with Trump’s executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America.”
That standoff is still in legal limbo, with an appeals court temporarily upholding the AP’s exclusion from restricted White House events.
Scotland Visit Moves Ahead Amid Media Storm
Despite the backlash, Trump is pressing forward with his travel plans.
During his time in Scotland, he’s expected to meet with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
The agenda includes high-level talks focused on a potential trade deal between the U.S. and the United Kingdom.
But with the media firestorm brewing and a lawsuit in motion, there’s little doubt that the president’s trip across the Atlantic will be followed just as much for the headlines as for the diplomacy.