President Trump welcomed President Xi Jinping to the White House with full ceremony while American journalists were barred from the press pool over a partial media ban. Chinese reporters were admitted to cover the visit, but U.S. networks like CNN, MSNBC, and Politico were excluded despite court orders. Trump praised Xi as a 'great friend' and made no mention of human rights, even as he labeled American media a national security threat.

The event highlighted a stark contrast: Trump embraced authoritarian leaders like Xi and Putin while punishing domestic outlets for negative coverage. He also announced plans to host Putin at the G20 in Miami. The incident underscored Trump’s ongoing conflict with U.S. media and his favorable stance toward repressive regimes.