Washington/The president of the United States, Donald Trump, described this Thursday as a “great meeting” the meeting of more than three hours he held at the White House with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping. The visit coincided with the return to the presidential complex of journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politicalafter a federal judge ordered to restore the credentials that the Administration had withdrawn from them.
Trump said goodbye to Xi on the portico of the West Wing after accompanying him through the residence’s gardens, where he showed him the new helipad and the construction of a ballroom. It is the Chinese president’s first visit to the United States in more than nine years and his second meeting with Trump in 2026, after the meeting the two held in Beijing in May.
The dispute with the media precisely affected the coverage of the summit. The main American networks avoided broadcasting live images in solidarity with the three banned media outlets, after the White House maintained the restrictions during the morning despite the court order.
Trump had announced the veto of the three media outlets last Friday, accusing them of spreading “fake news.”
Judge Timothy Kelly, of the United States District Court in Washington, had ordered early in the morning to immediately restore access to CNN, MS NOW and Political considering that the veto occurred without due process. Given the initial refusal of the White House to comply with the ruling, the media lawyers requested an urgent hearing and the magistrate demanded explanations from the Government.
After noon, the journalists finally managed to return to the premises. The emergency order is temporary and will be in effect until October 8, unless the court makes another decision sooner.
In the bilateral meeting, Xi asked Washington and Beijing to stay away “from conflict and confrontation” and strengthen communication and crisis prevention mechanisms. Among the central issues of the visit are the trade truce, Chinese restrictions on rare earth exports, Taiwan and competition over artificial intelligence. Trump and first lady Melania Trump are scheduled to host Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, at a state dinner tonight.
Trump had announced the ban on the three media outlets last Friday, accusing them of spreading “fake news” and, subsequently, of endangering national security. Associated Press (AP), Reuters, AFP, Bloomberg and EFE, among others, joined a statement promoted by the Committee to Protect Journalists in defense of press freedom and the right to report on the Government.
