Chinese Officials Block Armed US Secret Service Agent at Trump-Xi Event in Beijing

Chinese security officials blocked an armed U.S. Secret Service agent from entering an event during President Donald Trump's visit on Thursday, reporters on the scene said.

The agent was kept from joining Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping at Beijing's Temple of Heaven with his weapon, according to media accounts. The standoff lasted more than half an hour amid heated talks that delayed entry to the site.

"We've seen several intense confrontations since being here," a Telegraph correspondent wrote on X.

The White House did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.

Trump and Xi met Thursday in Beijing during a two-day state visit. The White House said the leaders discussed Iran, energy security, fentanyl controls and market access.

Reporters posted videos on social media showing difficulties 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 said on X.

Fox News Digital contacted the Secret Service for comment Thursday.

Tensions between the Secret Service and Chinese security are not new. During Trump's 2017 visit, a dispute arose over the nuclear football, the briefcase with tools for the president to order a nuclear strike, Axios reported at the time.

Reports said Chinese security blocked a U.S. military aide carrying the briefcase from entering the Great Hall. Then-White House Chief of Staff John Kelly was notified and came to escort the aide.

"We're moving in," Kelly said, according to Axios. A Chinese security official then grabbed Kelly. A U.S. Secret Service agent grabbed that official and allegedly tackled him to the ground.

The Secret Service later denied the tackling reports in a statement on X.

"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 some shoving in the incident, which de-escalated. The football was never touched.