For libeling Trump, the White House restricted The Wall Street Journal access

For libeling Trump, the White House excluded the Wall Street Journal from the media group covering the president's trip to Scotland next weekend, according to press secretary Karoline Leavitt.

Last week, the American newspaper published a report alleging that Trump sent a birthday message with sexual innuendos to the pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein in 2003.

The report was prepared despite knowing that the president had already denied being the author of the raunchy letter hours before it was published. Additionally, the tabloid has categorically refused to publish the letter addressed to Epstein that it allegedly obtained so that readers could verify its authenticity.

Leavitt's statement

"As confirmed by the Court of Appeals, the Wall Street Journal or any other media outlet is not guaranteed special access to cover President Trump in the Oval Office, aboard Air Force One, or in his private workspaces," Leavitt wrote in a statement.

"Due to WSJ's false and defamatory conduct, they won't be among the thirteen media outlets on board. All news organizations worldwide wish to cover the president, and the White House has taken significant steps to include as many voices as possible," the secretary continued.

The White House has control over press rotations and therefore decides which journalist may accompany the President during official trips.

The press believes it is untouchable

Tarini Parti is the White House reporter for the Wall Street Journal who was assigned to be part of the press delegation traveling on Air Force One with Trump during his visit to his golf courses located in Scottish territory.

For now, the White House has refused to confirm whether the Journal will be included in the delegations covering future presidential trips.

Nevertheless, as expected, the White House Correspondents' Association, led by anti-Trump ABC reporter Weijia Jiang, wasted no time in criticizing this decision, which it classified as "government retaliation."

Seeking legal compensation

Last Friday, Trump filed a lawsuit in Florida courts against the Journal, the media conglomerate Newscorp, and its owner Rupert Murdoch for defaming him and is seeking damages of more than $10 billion. 

The court document highlights the slander and libel to which the Republican has had to be exposed throughout his political life.

The document accuses the tabloid and its journalists of having published "knowingly and recklessly numerous false, defamatory, and disparaging statements" that, it alleges, caused "overwhelming financial and reputational damage to the president."