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Trump removes WSJ from Scotland trip press pool over Epstein letter
The White House on Monday barred The Wall Street Journal from traveling with US President Donald Trump during his upcoming visit to Scotland, after the newspaper reported that he wrote a bawdy birthday message to his former friend, alleged sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.The move comes after Trump on Friday sued the WSJ and its media magnate owner Rupert Murdoch for at least $10 billion over the allegation in the article, which Trump denies.
The Trump administration's handling of the Epstein case has threatened to split the Republican's far-right Make America Great Again (MAGA) base, with some of his supporters calling for a full release of the so-called 'Epstein Files.'
The punishment of the Wall Street Journal marks at least the second time the Trump administration has moved to exclude a major news outlet from the press pool over its reporting, having barred Associated Press journalists from multiple key events since February.
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'As the appeals court confirmed, The Wall Street Journal or any other news outlet are not guaranteed special access to cover President Trump in the Oval Office, aboard Air Force One, and in his private workspaces,' said Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
'Due to The Wall Street Journal's fake and defamatory conduct, they will not be one of the thirteen outlets on board (Air Force One).'
Trump departs this weekend for Scotland, where he owns two golf resorts and will meet with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Earlier this month, the US Department of Justice, under Trump-appointed Attorney General Pam Bondi, said there was no evidence suggesting disgraced financier Epstein had kept a 'client list' or was blackmailing powerful figures before his death in 2019.
In its story on Thursday, the WSJ reported that Trump had written a suggestive birthday letter to Epstein in 2003, illustrated with a naked woman and alluding to a shared 'secret.'
Epstein, a longtime friend of Trump and multiple other high-profile men, was found hanging dead in a New York prison cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on charges that he sexually exploited dozens of underage girls at his homes in New York and Florida.
The case sparked conspiracy theories, especially among Trump's far-right voters, about an alleged international cabal of wealthy pedophiles.
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Epstein's death – declared a suicide – before he could face trial supercharged that narrative.
Since returning to power in January, Trump has moved to increase control over the press covering the White House.
In February, the Oval Office stripped the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) of its nearly century-old authority to oversee which outlets have access to certain restricted presidential events, with Trump saying that he was now 'calling the shots' on media access.
In a statement, the WHCA president urged the White House to 'restore' the Journal to the pool.
'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,' said WHCA President Weijia Jiang.
'Government retaliation against news outlets based on the content of their reporting should concern all who value free speech and an independent media.'
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First Post
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‘They want to settle now': Trump links trade deals to peace as Thailand, Cambodia agree to talks
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday he believed both Thailand and Cambodia wanted to settle their differences after he told the leaders of both countries that he would not conclude trade deals with them unless they ended their fighting. read more US President Donald Trump said Sunday he believed Thailand and Cambodia were ready to resolve their conflict following his warning that trade agreements with Washington would be on hold unless the fighting stopped. Speaking to reporters in Turnberry, Scotland before a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Trump said, 'I spoke to both of the prime ministers, and I think by the time I got off, I think they want to settle now.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Trump added that he expected officials from both countries to engage in talks in the coming days. The current wave of violence began Thursday following a land mine blast that injured five Thai soldiers. Each side has accused the other of sparking the conflict. Ambassadors have been recalled, and Thailand has shut its border crossings with Cambodia. Despite growing calls for de-escalation, active fighting continued on Sunday in multiple parts of the contested region. Thailand reported one more soldier killed on Sunday, raising its death toll to 21, most of them civilians. Cambodia said it has lost 13 lives. Over 131,000 people have been displaced within Thailand, while more than 37,000 Cambodians have fled homes in three border provinces. Many border villages now lie abandoned, with schools and hospitals closed. The UN Security Council has urged ASEAN to mediate an end to the crisis, while Human Rights Watch condemned reports of cluster munitions—prohibited under international law—being used in populated zones. The group called on both governments to prioritise civilian protection. Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia over their 800-kilometre border have simmered for decades. While past flare-ups have generally been brief, the current escalation follows a deadly confrontation in May that led to the death of a Cambodian soldier and further strained diplomatic relations. With inputs from agencies
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Business Standard
a minute ago
- Business Standard
Thai, Cambodian leaders to meet in Malaysia for talks to end dispute
Thai and Cambodian leaders will meet in Malaysia for talks to end hostilities, a spokesperson for the Thai prime minister's office said on Sunday. This comes following pressure from US President Donald Trump to end a deadly border dispute, now in its fourth day, which has killed at least 34 people and displaced more than 168,000. Jirayu Huangsap said Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai will attend Monday's talks in response to an invitation from Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to discuss peace efforts in the region. The spokesperson also said Phumtham's Cambodian counterpart Hun Manet will also attend the talks, though this was not immediately confirmed by the Cambodian side. He added that Anwar was acting in his capacity as chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, held on an annual rotating basis by its 10 members. Trump posted on Truth Social on Saturday that he spoke to the leaders of Thailand and Cambodia and suggested he would not move forward with trade agreements with either country if the hostilities continued. He later said both sides agreed to meet to negotiate a ceasefire. Both sides agree to discuss a ceasefire Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said earlier Sunday his country agreed to pursue an immediate and unconditional ceasefire. He said Trump told him that Thailand had also agreed to halt attacks following the US president's conversation with Phumtham. He said he tasked his deputy, Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, to coordinate next steps with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and to engage directly with Thailand's foreign minister to implement the ceasefire. Thailand expressed cautious support. Phumtham thanked Trump and said that Thailand agreed in principle to a ceasefire but stressed the need for sincere intention from Cambodia, the Thai Foreign Ministry said. Phumtham called for swift bilateral talks to discuss concrete steps toward a peaceful resolution, it said. Both sides blame the other for the clashes The fighting flared Thursday after a land mine explosion along the border wounded five Thai soldiers. Both sides blamed each other for starting the clashes. Both countries recalled their ambassadors and Thailand closed its border crossings with Cambodia. Despite the diplomatic efforts, fighting continued Sunday along parts of the contested border, with both sides refusing to budge and trading blame over renewed shelling and troop movements. Col. Richa Suksowanont, a Thai army deputy spokesperson, said Cambodian forces fired heavy artillery into Surin province, including at civilian homes, early Sunday. He said Cambodia also launched rocket attacks targeting the ancient Ta Muen Thom temple, claimed by both countries, and other areas in a bid to reclaim territory secured by Thai troops. Thai forces responded with long-range artillery to strike Cambodian artillery and rocket launchers. Richa said Trump's efforts to mediate were a separate matter. The battlefield operations will continue and a ceasefire can only happen if Cambodia formally initiates negotiations, he added. Any cessation of hostilities cannot be reached while Cambodia is severely lacking in good faith and repeatedly violating the basic principles of human rights and humanitarian law," Thailand's Foreign Ministry said separately. Cambodian Defence Ministry spokesperson Lt. Gen. Maly Socheata accused Thai forces of escalating the violence with bombardment of Cambodian territory early Sunday, followed by a "large-scale incursion" involving tanks and ground troops in multiple areas. Such actions undermine all efforts toward peaceful resolution and expose Thailand's clear intent to escalate rather than de-escalate the conflict, she said. Thailand on Sunday reported a new death of a soldier, bringing the total number of fatalities to 21, mostly civilians. Cambodia said 13 people have been killed. More than 131,000 people in Thailand have evacuated to safe locations and over 37,000 people fled from three Cambodian provinces. Many border villages are mostly deserted, with many schools and hospitals shut. Evacuees hope for a swift end to the fighting Pichayut Surasit, an air-conditioning technician in Thailand, said the sudden outbreak of fighting meant leaving his work in Bangkok to return home to protect his family. I didn't have the heart to continue with my work when I heard the news. I wanted to come back as soon as possible, but I had to wait until the evening, he said. Now at a shelter in Surin housing some 6,000 evacuees, Pichayut worries for his wife and twin daughters, hoping the conflict will end soon so they can return to their home in Kap Choeng district, one of the hardest hit by shelling. Bualee Chanduang, a local vendor who moved to the same shelter Thursday with her family and pet rabbit, is counting on swift negotiations to end the violence. I pray for God to help so that both sides can agree to talk and end this war, she said. The UN Security Council has called on ASEAN, a regional bloc, to mediate peace between the two members. Human Rights Watch has condemned the reported use of cluster munitions, weapons banned by International law, in populated areas, and urged both governments to protect civilians. The 800-kilometre frontier between Thailand and Cambodia has been disputed for decades, but past confrontations have been limited and brief. The latest tensions erupted in May when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a confrontation that created a diplomatic rift and roiled Thailand's domestic politics.
News18
10 minutes ago
- News18
‘Not A US Problem': Trump Assures Help For Gaza But Wants Others To Pitch In
Last Updated: US President Donald Trump urged countries to aid Gaza amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, noting the US gave $60 million but received no thanks. US President Donald Trump on Sunday called out other countries to contribute to Gaza region, which is battling a catastrophic humanitarian situation and ongoing hostilities due to Israel-Hamas war. The US President, who is on a visit to Scotland, was sitting next to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, when he was asked for his response to the images of starving children in Gaza. Trump said that Washington has done a lot for Gaza and would send more aid but he suggested other countries also to contribute saying that it's an international problem. 'It's not a US problem, it's an international problem. If we weren't there. I think people would have starved, frankly," he told the reporters as quoted by The Hill. Trump further claimed that the US gave $60 million in aid for Gaza two weeks ago, but 'nobody even acknowledged it." 'Nobody acknowledged it, nobody talks about it, and it makes you feel a little bad when you do that, and no other countries give anything," he said. The US President further accused the Hamas militant group of stealing food that was meant for people in Gaza. 'When I see the children and when I see, especially over the last couple of weeks people are stealing the food, they're stealing the money, they're stealing the money for the food. They're stealing weapons, they're stealing everything," he added. Meanwhile, Trump emphasised that Israel would have to make a decision on next steps in Gaza, adding that he did not know what would happen after moves by Israel to pull out of ceasefire and hostage-release negotiations with the militant group. Trump underscored the importance of securing the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, saying they had suddenly 'hardened" up on the issue. 'They don't want to give them back, and so Israel is going to have to make a decision," he said as quoted by news agency Reuters. The Trump administration last week said it was leaving Gaza ceasefire talks, blaming Hamas for failing to engage in good faith. Steve Witkoff, Trump's special envoy for peace missions, said the administration is considering alternative plans to secure the freedom of Israeli hostages held by Hamas and the future governance of the territory. Previous talks over a ceasefire and hostage release scheme in Qatar came to a halt this week after the US and Israel withdrew their negotiating teams. Israel is facing mounting pressure from many of its allies, with aid agencies warning of mass starvation having previously criticised plans to drop supplies into Gaza by air. Trump's Plan For Gaza Earlier this year in February during Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to the US, Trump had suggested that the US could 'take over" and 'own" Gaza, resettling its population in the process. He had also said that all Palestinians currently living in Gaza — around two million people — should leave and be placed in other countries in the Middle East. 'The US will take over the Gaza Strip and we will do a job with it too. We'll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site, level the site and get rid of the destroyed buildings," Trump had said. 'Create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area, do a real job, do something different," he had added. The proposal had drawn condemnation, including from across the Middle East, close US allies and the United Nations. Netanyahu, however, welcomed the 'revolutionary vision" for Gaza. Gaza Crisis At least 127 people in Gaza have died from malnutrition since the war began, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Israel cut off all supplies to Gaza at the start of March in an 11-week blockade. It resumed distributing aid on 27 May with the new and controversial US-Israeli backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). More than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed trying to retrieve food aid from GHF sites since it began, according to the UN. Israel claimed that the new distribution system stopped aid from reaching Hamas. The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage. top videos View all At least 59,676 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry. (With inputs from agencies) view comments Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: July 27, 2025, 23:14 IST News world 'Not A US Problem': Trump Assures Help For Gaza But Wants Others To Pitch In Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
