CNN says White House blocked its reporter from Xi state dinner despite court order

CNN reported that the Trump administration denied one of its journalists access to cover arrivals for Chinese President Xi Jinping's state dinner on Thursday, despite a federal judge's order restoring the network's White House access. Senior correspondent Kristen Holmes said the event required pre-submitted credentials, which CNN had provided. White House officials told CNN at the entrance that only camera and audio personnel could enter, not a correspondent or producer, according to Holmes. CNN had planned to send an editorial representative without a camera, a practice adopted in solidarity by other networks after the White House removed CNN from the rotating press pool. The denial occurred the same day a judge issued a 14-day temporary restraining order requiring the administration to reinstate press badges for affected networks. CNN anchor Erin Burnett said the network did not refuse to cover the event, stating that CNN, MS NOW, and Politico were denied access to White House grounds.