Donald Trump excludes Wall Street Journal after Epstein articles

After a report on Donald Trump and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the White House excludes the “Wall Street Journal” (WSJ) from the presidential trip to Scotland. The US newspaper is to be deleted by a corresponding list of accompanying reporters. The journalist organization of the Weißen-Haus reporter WHCA called for the newspaper to return the space in the government plane Air Force One. Trump flies to Scotland on Friday.

Trump spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt announced on the reasons of the drastic step: “Due to the false and defamatory behavior of the” Wall Street Journal “, it will not be part of the 13 media that are on board.” First “Politico” had reported the exclusion.

The WSJ had published an article about Trump and Epstein days ago-but the US President defends himself with a billion lawsuit. Epstein, who had systematically abused minors for many years, committed suicide in 2019 at the age of 66 in his prison cell.

From the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) it was said to exclude the “Wall Street Journal”: “This attempt by the White House to punish a medium, the reporting of which he does not like, is deeply worrying”. And: “Remanding of the government against the media due to the content of its reporting should worry everyone who value freedom of expression and independent media.”

The US President is under great pressure because of the Epstein affair. The US newspaper had reported on an alleged letter of congratulations to Epstein on his 50th birthday in 2003, which is supposed to bear the name of Trump. The newspaper establishes another connection between the two.

In the letter with slippery content, the outlines of a female body with a marker are said to have been drawn with breasts – the newspaper refers to an insight into documents. So far, the letter has not been published. Trump denies to have been author. He covered the newspaper and media module Rupert Murdoch just a day after which the WSJ belongs to the portfolio, with a lawsuit and demands billions.

Trump had promised to open the Epstein files in the election campaign. Because he has not been doing this so far, the pressure also grew from his own warehouse. Shortly after the publication of the WSJ report, Trump suddenly announced that he wanted to have some documents disclosed. However, it is not the publication of all knowledge of the Epstein, which is requested by some Trump supporters.

Epstein was arrested in 2019 and then accused. In parts of the US company, Epstein’s death caused wild speculation because he had the best contacts in the American high society. Prominent and billionaires went in and out of him-Trump also spent time with Epstein, as several party videos show.

It is not the first time that the White House under the Trump government denies or complicates journalists. The case of the US news agency Associated Press became known months ago, which was excluded from fellow flights to Trump’s presidential machine Air Force One. Background of the dispute at the time: AP did not take over the new name for the Gulf of Mexico – “Golf of America”. The case now employs judges.