‘Defies First Amendment’: WHCA condemns White House move to remove Wall Street Journal from Scotland trip

WASHINGTON: The White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) has strongly condemned the White House’s decision to remove the Wall Street Journal from the travelling press pool for the upcoming Scotland trip, citing concerns over the publication’s editorial content. President Trump is visiting 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, 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 assured colleagues that upon learning about the decision, she directly communicated that the WHCA “strongly objects and finds 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,” she said. Jiang also encouraged members to reach out with any questions or concerns.

The move follows The Journal’s publication of a Thursday article revealing a lewd birthday note 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 was allegedly 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 the 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 on 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 rigour and accuracy of our reporting, and will vigorously defend against any lawsuit,” as per 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 taking over the role of deciding which publications may participate, a shift previously managed by the Correspondents’ Association, as noted by The Washington Post.

Earlier, the White House had 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)