White House blocks CNN, MS NOW from covering Xi’s state dinner hours after judge restores access

WASHINGTON, DC: Chinese President Xi Jinping’s arrival on Thursday, September 24, at the White House for a state dinner with President Donald Trump was not covered by reporters from CNN and MS NOW, after journalists from both networks said they were denied access to the event.

The reported restrictions came just hours after a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to temporarily restore the outlets’ White House press credentials. The White House has disputed the networks’ characterization of the access issue.

CNN reporters were stopped from covering Xi’s arrival

CNN reported that one of its reporters and a producer were stopped by a White House press wrangler while attempting to enter the greeting ceremony at the North Portico. The event was scheduled to feature Trump and first lady Melania Trump welcoming Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, ahead of the state dinner.

According to CNN, the White House told the network shortly before the event that it could cover Xi’s arrival, but only with a photojournalist and an audio technician. Other television networks were reportedly permitted to bring reporters and producers to the event.

MS NOW White House reporter Laura Barrón-López also said she was stopped by a press wrangler while attempting to cover Xi’s arrival. Recounting the incident on air, Barron-Lopez said: "I was told, 'I'm sorry, I can't let you in."

She subsequently questioned whether the restriction could affect the networks’ ability to cover other White House events, asking, "The big question is, is this going to continue? Are we not going to be credentialed into these daily events?"

However, The White House Rapid Response account addressed the incident in a post on X, disputing the suggestion that the networks were entitled to unrestricted access. The account said, “This is a pre-credentialed event. Contrary to what the Fake News wants you to believe, they don’t just get to have free rein into every part of the White House, every event, and every press call.”

Trump criticized CNN and MS NOW before access dispute

The reported denial of access came several hours after Trump criticized CNN and MS NOW for not covering Xi’s arrival at the White House earlier in the day. Trump said the networks had instead attended a press conference and an Oval Office meeting.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote that CNN and MS NOW "refused to cover one of the Biggest and Most Beautiful Events to take place in many years, the arrival at the White House of the Highly Respected President of China, Xi Jinping, and his beautiful wife, Madam Peng."

US District Judge Timothy Kelly also issued an early Thursday ruling ordering the administration to temporarily reinstate their press badges. Despite the ruling, reporters from the three outlets were initially denied entry to the White House Thursday morning. A White House official later told the court that the press office had begun "reinstating" the credentials.

The ruling came after CNN, MS NOW and Politico challenged the Trump administration’s decision to bar them from the White House.