Chinese security personnel blocked an armed U.S. Secret Service agent from entering the Temple of Heaven compound during President Trump’s China summit meeting with President Xi Jinping, according to White House press pool reports. The dispute, which occurred just before the scheduled event, delayed the press pool’s entry by nearly 30 minutes after officials refused to permit the agent to proceed with his weapon.

AFP correspondent Danny Kemp confirmed the delay stemmed from a “lengthy and increasingly intense discussion” between U.S. and Chinese security teams over the protective detail’s access. A compromise was eventually reached, though specific terms remained undisclosed publicly. Kemp noted additional delays later that day when Chinese officials allegedly attempted to obstruct U.S. staff and reporters departing for the presidential motorcade.

The incident reflects broader tensions during Trump’s Beijing visit, as multiple sources indicate repeated friction between American and Chinese security personnel over access points and protocols. The Secret Service agent’s refusal to leave his weapon at the venue underscored a fundamental clash in how each nation perceives sovereignty and the president’s security bubble within foreign territories.