White House Blocks CNN and MS NOW From Covering Xi State Dinner Arrivals Hours After Court-Ordered Reinstatement

Hours after Judge Kelly's restraining order restored their credentials, CNN and MS NOW editorial staff were again denied entry Thursday evening, September 24, 2026, when they tried to cover arrivals for President Trump's state dinner honoring Xi Jinping. CNN senior White House correspondent Kristen Holmes said officials told the network only camera and audio staff — not editorial personnel — would be admitted to the pre-credentialed press event, while Politico's reporter was also turned away. CNN anchor Erin Burnett said 'CNN did not refuse to cover the event. We, like MS NOW and Politico, were denied access to the White House grounds,' and CNN's Jake Tapper called it 'another egregious violation of the First Amendment and the judge's order.' Trump alleged the networks had refused to cover Xi's arrival to avoid giving him credit for the visit.