logo
White House restricts WSJ access to Trump over Epstein story

White House restricts WSJ access to Trump over Epstein story

Yahoo3 days ago
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.
"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.
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."
aha/ksb
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

House Speaker Mike Johnson "very bullish" on GOP in midterms
House Speaker Mike Johnson "very bullish" on GOP in midterms

CBS News

timea minute ago

  • CBS News

House Speaker Mike Johnson "very bullish" on GOP in midterms

House Speaker Mike Johnson told CBS News he's "absolutely convinced" Republicans will expand their narrow margin in the House in next year's midterms. "I am very bullish on election night '26. I'm absolutely convinced we're going to grow the House majority," Johnson told CBS News chief Washington correspondent Major Garrett on Wednesday. "It's not groundless optimism. It's going to be the result of a lot of hard work." Historically, the president's party almost always loses ground in the midterms right after a presidential race. The party that controls the White House has only managed to improve its edge in the House in a midterm election twice in the last 80 years, in 1998 and 2002. That trend is typically driven by backlash against the incumbent president — and over the last six months, President Trump's approval rating has slid from 53% to 42%, according to CBS News polling. But Johnson said he believes his party has opportunities to go on offense, pointing to the 13 House Democrats who represent districts that Mr. Trump won in 2024, versus three Republicans whose districts went for former Vice President Kamala Harris. He also noted demographic shifts in the 2024 race, which saw Mr. Trump make gains with Black and Latino voters. "I like those odds," Johnson said. Johnson also said a controversial plan by Texas Republicans to redraw the state's congressional districts "probably inures to our benefit," though he also said, "the jury's still out on that one" and "we're still awaiting the outcome." Johnson told CBS News on Wednesday the state's Republican Gov. Greg Abbott will "need to follow the law" and "be fair." Johnson predicted voters will "feel the benefits" of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The legislation extends trillions of dollars' worth of tax cuts, appropriates new funding for border security, and adds or expands work requirements for Medicaid and food stamps. Some 61% of U.S. adults disapprove of the law, according to a CBS News poll released Sunday. Some 47% of Americans believe it will hurt them and their families, versus 28% who say it won't have much of an effect on their families and only 25% who say it will help them. "I'm not surprised by those numbers, because they've gotten a steady diet of misinformation by most of the mainstream media and the Democrats," Johnson told CBS News. He predicted that the bill will serve as "jet fuel" for the economy, and pointed to an estimate by House Republicans that its tax provisions could deliver as much as $13,300 in extra take-home pay to the typical family. The White House's Council of Economic Advisers said in a report that a family with two children could see between $7,800 and $13,300 in additional take-home pay "in the long run" as a result of the bill. The nonpartisan Tax Policy Center found Americans from most income levels will see tax savings from the law next year, averaging $2,900 per household, though higher-income people will see a bigger impact. The group said $6 of every $10 in tax breaks will go to the top 20% of households, or people with incomes of about $217,000 or more. Asked if voters will hold Republicans accountable in the midterms for the bill's promised tax benefits, Johnson said: "They'll see it, and they will vote accordingly." Johnson also hailed a set of crypto bills that are moving through Congress. Last week, Mr. Trump signed into law the GENIUS Act, which creates a regulatory structure for stablecoins, a type of cryptocurrency pegged to the value of an asset like the U.S. dollar. Another bill that would set broader rules for digital assets, the CLARITY Act, is still pending. Johnson said of the crypto legislation: "It will spur on innovation and more investment. And I think it's going to be a big thing for the future." Separately, when asked about the prospect of a government shutdown when funding runs out at the end of September, the House speaker said he has "no interest in a shutdown." Johnson largely stood by Mr. Trump's trade strategy, as the president threatens dozens of countries with much higher tariffs unless they strike trade deals. He called Mr. Trump "the king of the art of the deal," and pointed to "unfair trade practices" by other countries. Many economists warn that higher tariffs could lead to steeper consumer prices and slower economic growth — though Mr. Trump has defended the strategy. "The sky was going to fall, everybody told us, and it hasn't," Johnson said. He also said Congress has traditionally "given a lot of latitude to the executive" to negotiate trade deals, amid concern from some lawmakers that Congress should be involved in major tax policy rather than deferring to the president on tariffs. And Johnson called allegations that House Republicans have been overly deferential to Mr. Trump "nonsense." He said he and Mr. Trump are "working as a unified government," but he discusses contentious issues with the president "behind the curtains."

F.C.C. Approves Skydance's Merger With Paramount
F.C.C. Approves Skydance's Merger With Paramount

New York Times

timea minute ago

  • New York Times

F.C.C. Approves Skydance's Merger With Paramount

The Federal Communications Commission said Thursday it would allow Paramount to merge with the Hollywood studio Skydance, clearing the way for one of the most highly scrutinized media deals in the last decade. Brendan Carr, the chairman of the F.C.C., said in a statement that the agency approved the deal after receiving assurances from Skydance that the new company was committed to unbiased journalism and would not establish programs related to diversity, equity and inclusion. 'Americans no longer trust the legacy national news media to report fully, accurately and fairly,' Mr. Carr said in the statement. 'It is time for a change. That is why I welcome Skydance's commitment to make significant changes at the once storied CBS broadcast network.' Mr. Carr's approval was the biggest remaining hurdle for the multibillion-dollar deal, which has generated near-weekly headlines since it was announced last July. And it effectively ushers in the beginning of a new family dynasty for Paramount, which has been controlled by the Redstone family for decades. David Ellison, son of the tech billionaire Larry Ellison, plans to take control of the company when the deal closes. In recent weeks, Paramount has been engulfed in turmoil stemming from the company's strained relationship with the Trump administration. Earlier this month, the company paid $16 million to settle a lawsuit brought by President Trump. Critics — including CBS's 'Late Night' host Stephen Colbert — said the settlement was effectively a payoff to secure approval from the Trump administration, claims the company flatly rejected. Mr. Colbert said last week that the company was ending his show next year, leading some prominent Democrats to claim that the move was politically motivated. The company has denied that, saying the program was canceled for financial reasons. In recent days, Skydance took steps to assuage Mr. Carr, telling the agency that it would install an ombudsperson at the news division to ensure fairness in it journalism and committing to avoiding diversity, equity and inclusion programs at the company. In his statement, Mr. Carr lauded these steps, saying it would 'begin the process of earning back Americans' trust.' Anna M. Gomez, a Democrat commissioner on the F.C.C., said in a statement that the F.C.C. had used 'its vast power to pressure Paramount to broker a private legal settlement and further erode press freedom.' 'Even more alarming, it is now imposing never-before-seen controls over newsroom decisions and editorial judgment, in direct violation of the First Amendment and the law,' Ms. Gomez said.

FCC approves Paramount-Skydance merger following Trump settlement, Colbert cancellation
FCC approves Paramount-Skydance merger following Trump settlement, Colbert cancellation

Fox News

timea minute ago

  • Fox News

FCC approves Paramount-Skydance merger following Trump settlement, Colbert cancellation

The FCC announced it has approved the $8 billion merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media, putting an end to the yearlong high-stakes saga. "Americans no longer trust the legacy national news media to report fully, accurately, and fairly. It is time for a change. That is why I welcome Skydance's commitment to make significant changes at the once storied CBS broadcast network," FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said in a statement Thursday. "In particular, Skydance has made written commitments to ensure that the new company's programming embodies a diversity of viewpoints from across the political and ideological spectrum. Skydance will also adopt measures that can root out the bias that has undermined trust in the national news media." "These commitments, if implemented, would enable CBS to operate in the public interest and focus on fair, unbiased, and fact-based coverage. Doing so would begin the process of earning back Americans' trust. Today's decision also marks another step forward in the FCC's efforts to eliminate invidious forms of DEI discrimination. And Skydance's commitment to enhancing local news and reporting—coverage valued by the public—will also inure to the benefit of the American people," Carr continued. The merger comes just days after Paramount settled President Donald Trump's lawsuit for multi-million dollars and its network CBS canceled "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert." The newly formed Paramount Skydance Corp. is led by CEO David Ellison, the son of billionaire Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, and former NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell, who will serve as president. Paramount's controlling shareholder Shari Redstone, who controlled more than three-quarters of Paramount's Class A voting shares, will exit the company. Industry insiders believe Ellison, who was spotted sitting with President Donald Trump at UFC event in April, will aim to eliminate the perceived liberal slant at CBS News. Redstone was Paramount's controlling shareholder through National Amusements Inc., the company she took control of in 2016 when her media mogul father, Sumner Redstone, was deemed too incapacitated to run the company. He died in 2020. The merger comes after years of interest from various potential bidders. When it was first announced last year, Paramount said the Skydance Investor Group would pay $2.4 billion for National Amusements Inc. The 2024 announcement also said the Ellison family and a RedBird Capital Partners-led group would invest a maximum of $6 billion in cash or shares to non-NAI stockholders and in "additional capital to paydown debt and re-capitalize the balance sheet" of the new company. Redstone is set for a significant windfall as a result of the deal with Ellison. Bloomberg reported last year that she would receive $180 million in severance on top of the roughly $350 million she would pocket from the merger. Before the merger became official, Paramount and CBS agreed to settle President Trump's "election interference" lawsuit" in July for a sum that could reach north of $30 million, including $16 million upfront. A source familiar with Paramount's Redstone-era leadership told Fox News Digital that only the initial $16 million was sanctioned by the official mediator and they had no knowledge of any deal Trump made with incoming ownership. However, the remaining allocation will be paid by incoming ownership. Redstone, who recused herself from discussions related to the Trump's "election interference" lawsuit in February, wasn't thrilled with being tied up in litigation with the sitting president and signed off on a settlement. It is widely believed that she wanted to settle in hopes of preventing potential retribution by Trump's FCC, which had the authority to halt the merger with Skydance. A source familiar with Paramount's Redstone-era leadership told Fox News Digital that only the initial $16 million was sanctioned by the official mediator and they had no knowledge of any deal Trump made with incoming ownership. Longtime "60 Minutes" correspondent Steve Kroft called the settlement a "shakedown," Comedy Central's Jon Stewart criticized the pact on Paramount's airwaves, CNN's Brian Stetler called it a "disturbing development" and current CBS News staffers were in disbelief. "This settlement is a cowardly capitulation by the corporate leaders of Paramount, and a fundamental betrayal of '60 Minutes' and CBS News," veteran "60 Minutes" producer Rome Hartman told Fox News Digital at the time. Ellison and Shell are tasked with enhancing Paramount and CBS brands and have said the newly formed company will aim to be a creative-driven destination for storytellers. This is a developing story, more to come…

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store