A White House staffer was knocked down and trampled by Chinese reporters during President Donald Trump's state visit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, according to a report. The incident occurred as a group of Chinese journalists rushed into Trump's bilateral meeting with Xi, knocking over and stepping on top of a White House aide, the New York Post reported. The staffer was left bruised and shaken but not seriously injured.
Chaotic Scenes at the Temple of Heaven
The chaos was captured by a cameraman accompanying Rush Hour director Brett Ratner. The clip reportedly left some members of the U.S. delegation bitter, with one American heard calling it a 's***show.' The U.S. reporters accompanying Trump on the trip have faced strict rules as Chinese authorities attempt to control coverage of the major event. The group has been allowed limited access to bathrooms and had their water bottles confiscated, even as temperatures exceeded 80 degrees Fahrenheit in the Chinese capital.
Confrontations Over Security and Access
The U.S. delegation encountered several other issues during the trip. During a visit to the Temple of Heaven on Thursday, Chinese officials refused to let a Secret Service agent accompany the press pool because the agent was carrying a firearm. This led to a 30-minute standoff, as the American delegation refused to move forward without the agent. The standoff ended when another cleared agent escorted the reporters inside. Trump and Xi arrived late to the temple visit after their bilateral meeting ran long, during which they discussed tensions over Taiwan, the war in Iran, and trade relations, according to White House officials.
Further trouble arose when Chinese officials refused to let the press pool join the presidential motorcade for Trump's departure, sparking another argument. A White House official reportedly told Chinese leaders that the Trump administration would not treat them this way, according to the Post. The Independent has contacted the White House for more information.
Brett Ratner's Presence on the Trip
The chaos was captured by the cameraman accompanying Ratner, who has been ostracized by Hollywood since six women accused him of sexual assault in 2017. Ratner, who has long denied any wrongdoing and has never been charged, was spotted aboard Air Force One as Trump departed for China on Tuesday. The president, a big fan of the director, welcomed him on the trip to scout locations for a fourth film in the Rush Hour franchise. Last year, Ratner helmed an Amazon MGM Studios documentary that followed First Lady Melania Trump for 20 days before her husband's 2025 inauguration. The documentary grossed $16.4 million in the U.S. and Canada, marking his first film since the allegations.
