The White House has restricted The Wall Street Journal's access to US President Donald Trump for his upcoming visit to Scotland, following the publication of a story alleging that he wrote a suggestive birthday message to his former friend, alleged sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

This move comes after Trump sued the WSJ and its 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 sparked controversy within the president's far-right base, with some supporters calling for the release of what they call the 'Epstein Files.' This punishment marks at least the second time the Trump administration has excluded a major news outlet from press coverage, having previously barred Associated Press journalists from multiple key events since February.

The White House claims that The Wall Street Journal's reporting was defamatory and therefore unwarranted of special access privileges.

Meanwhile, critics argue that such actions undermine freedom of speech and an independent media, as reported by the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA), which urges the restoration of the Journal to the press pool.