{
  "id": 9774003,
  "title": "What summit? US TV blackout and midterms turmoil overshadow red-carpet treatment",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/what-summit-us-tv-blackout-and-midterms-turmoil-overshadow-red-carpet",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-25T13:54:34.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368860/what-summit-us-tv-blackout-and-midterms-turmoil-overshadow-red-carpet-treatment"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Domestic political unrest in the United States and tensions between former President Donald Trump and the media cast a shadow over a high-profile summit. Chinese President Xi Jinping made his first state visit to the US in more than a decade, accompanied by his wife Peng Liyuan. Despite the significance of the visit, news coverage from major US networks was notably limited as they boycotted the event following a feud with Trump. The White House had banned CNN, MSNBC, and Politico from the summit, citing their reporting of \"fake news.\" Subsequently, other networks including ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox News also distanced themselves from the coverage. No footage was captured of the Trumps' warm reception of the Chinese delegation at Joint Base Andrews, marking the first time since 1962 that a US president personally welcomed a foreign leader. The absence of live broadcasts from US networks during Xi's arrival raised questions about the extent of diplomatic efforts to strengthen relations between the two nations. Amid the media blackout, the US press remained critical of China on various issues, including Iran, Taiwan, and rare earth minerals. Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski expressed skepticism about the level of deference shown to Xi during his arrival. Chinese experts noted that Trump's approach to China had shifted from a focus on democracy and values to a narrower emphasis on trade and technology. This change in strategy may be influenced by the upcoming US midterm elections in November, which could impact the Republican Party's control of Congress and potentially alter the president's stance towards China.",
  "summary": "Domestic US political turmoil and Donald Trump’s feud with the media overshadowed a summit that Beijing hoped would project an image of China on equal footing and help stabilise ties with the United States. Trump rolled out the full red-carpet treatment for Chinese President Xi Jinping as he paid his first state visit to the US in over a decade. In addition to Trump and his wife Melania greeting…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Reuters Business via SCMP",
        "title": "What summit? US TV blackout and midterms turmoil overshadow red-carpet treatment",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/what-summit-us-tv-blackout-and-midterms-turmoil-overshadow-red-carpet-9775008",
        "published": "2026-09-25T13:54:34.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}