Reporters from conservative outlets were shoved by Chinese press at the White House as President Donald Trump joked that the Chinese had the friendliest press corps amid his attempt to ban some U.S. outlets.
The clashes broke out Thursday during Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit, according to reporters who posted videos and accounts on X. Trump made the remark as the press corps covering Xi was at the White House, according to a White House print pool report.
Tensions appeared to begin earlier that morning, before Xi's arrival, when the U.S. Secret Service stepped in and cautioned Chinese reporters outside the White House as they jockeyed for the best position to cover their leader.
"NOW: WH and Chinese delegation are currently fighting on the south lawn regarding placement of official government cameras… [The Secret Service] is getting involved," Washington Examiner White House reporter Christian Datoc wrote on X Thursday morning, before Xi arrived.
"Chaos ahead of Xi Jinping's arrival at the White House as the travelling Chinese press corps push and shove their way into position. Lots of shouting and raised voices as they refuse to move for Secret Service," The Telegraph's White House correspondent Connor Stringer posted.
"A reminder that they trampled a White House staff member during Donald Trump's state visit to Beijing," Stringer added.
Scuffles later moved to the briefing room, where Chinese reporters broke decorum to get a glimpse of the two world leaders as they met in the Oval Office. Reporters from pro-Trump outlets lodged multiple complaints.
"Chinese reporters just shoved an American reporter inside the briefing room. They are being very aggressive," The Center Square's Washington bureau chief Sarah Roderick-Fitch posted later that morning.
"Chaos in the press briefing room with Chinese media and U.S. media (pool trying to get into event) now," Newsweek White House reporter Leonardo Feldman wrote minutes later.
"Absolute chaos with Chinese press in the room…" the pro-Trump network Real America's Voice posted.
"Currently: squashed against a wall by Chinese press," Daily Wire White House correspondent Mary Margaret Olohan wrote.
"A Chinese photographer just shoved one of our American reporters in the press room. Where is the outrage?" Newsmax's Bianca Gracia asked.
"A Chinese male photographer shoved an American female reporter while rushing through the briefing room door to the Oval Office bilateral [meeting]," NTD News reporter Iris Tao wrote.
"Chinese press taking over and doing photo shoots in the briefing room," Real America's Voice posted at noon. CNN reported that it saw Chinese state media filing into the briefing room and taking pictures at the podium.
Real America's Voice has been filling in as the backup TV pool, the camera crew that shares footage of the president with other networks, since ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News and NBC stopped pool coverage to protest Trump's ban on CNN, MS NOW and Politico last week, CNN reported.
"THEY SAID PRESIDENTIAL VIDEO COVERAGE HAD STOPPED. RAV'S CAMERAS NEVER DID," the network wrote on X Wednesday. "We are Real America's Voice — and we're proud of it."
CNN noted that the White House eventually forced the reporters to separate.
"US and Chinese photographers were separated from the pool and brought in for two sprays [brief photo sessions] with the president, according to two of the photographers who were present," read a White House print pool report cited by CNN.
"During the second spray, Trump made a joke about how the Chinese had the friendliest press corps," the report continued.
Trump also remarked on how Chinese reporters ask Xi for permission to speak, The Associated Press reported.
"There is, of course, a reason for that. And it's that China is an authoritarian country with repressive restrictions on free speech and the press," CNN's Aaron Blake wrote in an analysis.
Blake pointed out that administration lawyers have argued in court that Trump's press ban is about national security, not politics. But Trump's comment "would seem to get at his real goal: acquiescence," he wrote.
Reporters from CNN, MS NOW and Politico were let back into the White House around noon Thursday under a court order, CNN reported.
