Shoving and shouting broke out on the South Lawn of the White House on Thursday as members of the Chinese press corps pushed American reporters and U.S. Secret Service agents while jockeying for position ahead of Xi Jinping’s arrival for a summit with President Donald Trump.
Multiple videos recorded by White House correspondents showed Chinese journalists refusing to follow directions from Secret Service agents and White House staff, with tensions escalating in the minutes before Xi’s arrival.
Shouting and Shoves on the South Lawn
Connor Stringer of The Telegraph described the scene as it unfolded: “Lots of shouting and raised voices as they refuse to move for Secret Service.” Christian Datoc of the Washington Examiner reported that officials threatened to remove a Chinese official from the area entirely.
“It’s getting very heated,” Datoc wrote. USS and WH officials threatening to remove one Chinese official for interfering with shots and official WH cams.” Mary Margaret Olohan of the Daily Wire drew a distinction between the two press corps: “The US press is of course aggressive, but Chinese press are physically aggressive and outright refuse to listen to staff and Secret Service.”
The disorder was not confined to the lawn. Iris Tao of NTD News reported that Chinese press clashes at White House continued inside the building. A Chinese male photographer shoved an American female reporter while rushing through the briefing room door to the Oval Office bilateral,” Tao said, noting the incident followed the earlier clashes during the arrival ceremony.
Xi Jinping’s First State Visit in Over a Decade
The disruption came as Trump hosted Xi for a lavish state summit, Xi’s first official state visit to Washington in more than ten years. Trump welcomed the Chinese president with a military flyover, and both leaders used their opening remarks to stress the importance of talks on artificial intelligence.
The two leaders are also expected to address Taiwan and the ongoing war in Iran during their meetings. The visit carries significant diplomatic weight, with high-stakes negotiations on the agenda between the world’s two largest economies.
What Comes Next
White House and Secret Service officials were working to manage press access following the incidents, with threats made to remove individuals who interfered with official cameras or refused staff directions. No formal consequences had been announced as of the time of the summit’s opening session.
The clashes drew immediate attention from reporters on the scene and raised questions about how access and security protocols will be managed for the remainder of Xi’s visit. Reporters noted that a White House staff member had previously been trampled by the Chinese press corps during an earlier event.
