The New York Times has condemned the Trump administration's decision to bar the Wall Street Journal from the White House press pool, calling it 'simple retribution' for investigative reporting on ties between Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein.
In a statement, a Times spokesperson said the move 'deprives Americans of information about how their government operates' and is 'an attack on core constitutional principles underpinning free speech and a free press.'
The ban follows the Wall Street Journal's publication of a story alleging Trump sent a 'bawdy' birthday letter to Epstein in 2003. Trump has denied the claims and filed a $10bn defamation lawsuit against the paper, which has stood by its reporting.
The White House Correspondents' Association president, Weijia Jiang, called the exclusion 'deeply troubling' and an act of 'government retaliation.'
This is the latest in a series of actions by the Trump administration against news organisations. In February, the White House blocked the Associated Press from the press pool for refusing to adopt the term 'Gulf of America.' The administration has also taken direct control of press pool assignments, traditionally managed by the White House Correspondents' Association.
Trump has filed lawsuits against several major media companies, including CBS/Paramount, ABC News, and Meta, all of which have settled for millions of dollars.
