Trump reacts as CNN and MS NOW resume White House coverage during Xi visit
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President Donald Trump showed visible displeasure when CNN and MS NOW reporters asked questions after a state dinner with Chinese President Xi Jinping, following a court-ordered reversal of a temporary press ban.
President Donald Trump appeared visibly irritated as CNN and MS NOW journalists shouted questions while he stood with Chinese President Xi Jinping and their spouses on the White House South Lawn on Friday, a day after hosting a state dinner for the Chinese leader. The press had been barred from the White House earlier this week after Trump attempted to suspend their credentials, a move a District Court judge overturned on Thursday.
Reporters shouted inquiries such as whether Trump had asked Xi to stop buying oil from Iran, why the administration was banning media outlets, and whether U.S. taxpayers should fund advertisements promoting the administration’s anti-communist messaging. None of the questions received a response from the president or the Chinese delegation.
Last week, Trump had accused the three outlets of spreading "fake news" and said they should not be allowed to report what he termed "fiction and lies" about his administration. The ban prompted major networks to suspend White House coverage, and the White House briefly launched an alternative feed that attracted limited viewership. Following the judge’s order, the administration reinstated the outlets’ credentials, though reporters said they were initially blocked from covering Xi’s arrival.
During a subsequent tea meeting with First Lady Melania Trump, Xi and Chinese First Lady Peng Liyuan, the president thanked the press, stating, "We appreciate the fair coverage."
The visit focused on discussions of artificial intelligence, with Trump promoting the term "super intelligence" for the technology and posting on his social platform that Xi shared his view.