White House blocks CNN journalists from Xi state dinner despite court order

The White House blocked two CNN journalists from covering Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state dinner on Wednesday, despite a federal judge ordering the Trump administration to restore the network’s access. CNN said a reporter and producer were stopped by a press wrangler and told to contact communications director Steven Cheung. The incident occurred hours after US District Judge Timothy Kelly ordered the administration to reinstate credentials for CNN, MS NOW, and Politico. CNN said the White House limited its coverage to a photojournalist and audio technician, excluding editorial staff, while other networks were allowed full teams. The block stems from Trump’s decision last week to revoke regular White House access for the three outlets, accusing them of “fake news.” The organizations sued, citing First and Fifth Amendment violations, and Kelly issued a 14-day temporary restraining order requiring credential restoration.