CNN and MS NOW barred from state dinner despite being let back into White House after court order
From the Newshound archive · first published 24 September 2026 · last updated 25 September 2026.
Even after being reinstated to White House grounds following a judge's order, CNN and MS NOW journalists were denied access to the state dinner for Chinese President Xi Jinping, with a staffer telling MS NOW's Laura Barrón-López to 'talk to Steven' — apparently directing her to communications director Steven Cheung. All three outlets had been allowed back on site around noon — minutes before the Justice Department's 12:30pm deadline to explain its defiance to the court. Judge Kelly had rejected the administration's national security justification for the ban, ruling the outlets were likely to succeed in showing the White House had denied them adequate due process.
Trump banned the three outlets on 18 September, accusing them of reporting 'FICTION and LIES', after an aide reportedly showed him a slate of negative coverage moments before he announced it.
The White House had confiscated reporters' credentials and physically barred CNN, MS NOW and Politico journalists from entering on Thursday morning, even after US District Judge Timothy Kelly issued a temporary restraining order overnight requiring their immediate reinstatement.
No major US network provided live broadcast footage of Xi's arrival in solidarity with CNN, which is a member of the broadcast pool.