CNN and MS NOW were denied entry to cover a state dinner at the White House Thursday night despite a federal judge ordering that their access be restored.
President Donald Trump hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping at a state dinner at the White House on Thursday night. When reporters from the outlets attempted to cover arrivals at the event, officials from the Trump administration told them they were not allowed to do so.
MS NOW’s White House Reporter Laura Barrón-López reported live from the White House grounds, saying that when she attempted to attend the greeting ceremony they were denied. The event was one that she characterized as “pretty typical” for press to be in attendance for.
She added that they had submitted for credentials before the deadline the previous night, but the “handler” apologized and did not let them in. The reporter was told to reach out to the White House communications director Steven Cheung.
Barrón-López added that she was approved for a credential for an event with the president at the National Archives Museum, but it would not take place at the White House.
Barrón-López said that a correspondent and a producer from CNN were also barred from the event.
CNN anchor Erin Burnett confirmed this news on her show “OutFront” Thursday night.
“CNN denied access moments ago to cover the guest arrivals of President Trump’s state dinner for Chinese President Xi Jinping, blocked after a judge shot down Trump’s ban to keep CNN, Politico and MS NOW out of the White House grounds,” she reported.
The Trump administration barred Politico, CNN and MS NOW from entering the White House grounds since Saturday, following a directive from the president Friday to cancel their access because he took issue with their reporting.
In response to the ban and in support of CNN, the press pool boycotted coverage of the president. The press pool includes a rotating group of the five major news networks: ABC News, CBS News, CNN, Fox News and NBC News.
Earlier Thursday U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly ordered the Trump administration to restore the press credentials to the aforementioned outlets. The judge granted a temporary restraining order, which the three outlets had requested as part of their join lawsuit challenging the president.
Kelly noted that the Trump administration provided no support for its assertion that any of the disputed stories contained classified information or damaged national security. He also said that some of the reporting the president took issue with was months or years old.
