‘Intense standoff’ erupts between Secret Service, Chinese officials during Trump-Xi event: report
Chinese security officials allegedly blocked an armed U.S. Secret Service agent from entering an event on Thursday during President Donald Trump's visit to the country, according to media members on the ground.
A Secret Service agent was reportedly blocked from entering Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Beijing’s Temple of Heaven with their weapon on Thursday, according to reporters. The incident triggered an alleged "intense standoff" that delayed entry to the venue for over a half-hour due to heated discussions.
"We’ve seen several intense confrontations since being here," wrote a Telegraph correspondent on X of the situation.
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The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment on the matter.
Trump and Xi met Thursday in Beijing as part of a two-day state visit, with the White House saying the leaders discussed Iran, energy security, fentanyl controls and market access.
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Other videos posted by reporters on social media show the press having difficulties navigating following Trump during the meetings and events.
"Several times the Chinese tried to stop US reporters and staff from leaving their positions and joining the motorcade," the Telegraph correspondent on X.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Secret Service for comment on Thursday.
This is not the first time tensions have flared between the Secret Service and Chinese security officials.
During Trump’s 2017 visit, commotion was caused over the nuclear football, a briefcase that holds the tools for the president to order a nuclear strike, Axios first reported at the time.
Reports at the time said that when the U.S. military aide carrying the briefcase entered the Great Hall, Chinese security officials blocked his entry. The then-White House Chief of Staff John Kelly was notified and rushed over to escort the aide.
"We’re moving in," Kelly said, according to Axios. A Chinese security official then grabbed Kelly, before a U.S. Secret Service agent grabbed that Chinese security official, and allegedly tackled him to the ground.
The U.S. Secret Service later denied the reports of "tackling" issuing a statement on X.
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"FACT CHECK: Reports about Secret Service agents tackling a host nation official during the President’s trip to China in Nov 2017 are false," the agency wrote.
A source told Fox News at the time there was a bit of shoving during the incident, which then de-escalated and reiterated that the "football" was never touched.