Trump Boots WSJ Reporter from Scotland Press Pool After Explosive Epstein Story
In a bold move that’s raising eyebrows, Donald Trump’s team has booted a Wall Street Journal reporter from his upcoming press pool for a weekend trip to Scotland. The move comes shortly after the Wall Street Journal published a bombshell report alleging that Trump once sent Jeffrey Epstein a 50th birthday note featuring a drawing of a naked woman—a claim that led the former president to hit back with a $10 billion lawsuit.
“This isn’t about playing favorites,” said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, defending the decision. “The Wall Street Journal, or any outlet, doesn’t get automatic access to President Trump in the Oval Office, Air Force One, or his private settings. Thirteen diverse news outlets have been chosen to cover the President’s Scotland trip—the WSJ is simply not one of them because of its fake and defamatory reporting. Every news outlet on the planet wants a seat, and we’ve worked hard to include as many as we can.”
The reporter in question, Tarini Parti, wasn’t even involved in the Epstein exposé, yet she was the one removed. Trump’s weekend plans include advancing the UK-US trade deal and checking in on his Scottish golf resorts.
Before Trump’s return to office, control over press pool access belonged to the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA). Seats in the pool are like gold—vital for any media outlet trying to stay ahead in political journalism.
This isn’t the first time Trump has iced out the press. Early in his administration, the Associated Press lost access to the Oval Office and Air Force One after refusing to adopt Trump’s new term for the Gulf of Mexico. That’s when the White House seized control of the press pool process.
WHCA President Weijia Jiang strongly condemned the decision to exclude Parti, saying the administration hasn’t clarified whether this is a one-time ban or a permanent block on WSJ reporters.
“This type of retaliation against journalism is disturbing,” said Jiang. “It flies in the face of the First Amendment. When a government punishes a news outlet for reporting facts it doesn’t like, it threatens the foundation of free speech and an independent press.”
Trump’s rage over the Epstein article comes as his past ties to Epstein face renewed scrutiny. One of Epstein’s earliest accusers has claimed she urged the FBI to probe Trump’s relationship with the disgraced financier years ago. Trump is listed as an Epstein associate in early 2000s profiles by Vanity Fair and New York Magazine.
Now, with parts of the Epstein case files being unsealed, cracks are starting to show—even among Trump’s MAGA loyalists. Some of his most ardent supporters are beginning to question his connection to the scandal.
Still, the Wall Street Journal is standing firm. “We have full confidence in the rigor and accuracy of our reporting,” said a Dow Jones spokesperson. “And we’re ready to defend ourselves vigorously against any lawsuit.”