WSJ, AP Barred From Trump Scotland Press Travel

The White House has barred The Wall Street Journal from traveling with President Donald Trump on his upcoming Scotland trip after the paper reported that Trump allegedly sent a sexually suggestive birthday letter to Jeffrey Epstein in 2003, which Trump denies. Trump has filed a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the WSJ, its reporters, and Rupert Murdoch, the paper's owner. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt cited 'fake and defamatory conduct' as the reason for the exclusion, stating that press access is not guaranteed. The administration has previously restricted other outlets, including the Associated Press, following critical coverage. The WSJ stands by its reporting as legal and political tensions escalate around press freedoms. The move comes as scrutiny over Trump's ties to Epstein continues and as he prepares for meetings in Scotland.