White House restores access for three US outlets during Trump-Xi meeting
As US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping held talks in Washington, the White House restored access for CNN, MS NOW and Politico journalists after barring them over the weekend.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping's visit to Washington is continuing, and on Thursday evening he held talks with US President Donald Trump at the White House. During this high-level meeting, the administration decided to restore White House access for three media outlets — CNN, MS NOW and Politico.
These outlets had their access revoked over the previous weekend. At the time, the White House justified the restriction by claiming the outlets had spread false information. The decision drew wide attention, as it affected some of the most prominent US news organizations, which typically maintain regular access to presidential events and press facilities.
It is not currently clear why access was restored specifically at this moment, coinciding with the Xi-Trump talks. The meeting between the two leaders takes place against the broader backdrop of US-China bilateral relations and stands as one of the more significant diplomatic events of this period.
Disputes over journalists' access to the White House have become a recurring issue in recent US political life, with the administration repeatedly criticizing the quality of coverage and information provided by certain outlets. The lifting of restrictions during the meeting with the Chinese leader suggests the access issue has been resolved, at least in this instance, though it remains unclear whether the move is permanent or tied specifically to this event.
CNN, MS NOW and Politico are among the US media organizations that regularly cover White House activity and international negotiations, including high-profile visits such as Xi Jinping's trip to Washington.
