The White House press corps was forced out of their workspace Tuesday morning and relocated to another hotel as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrived at the Melia in downtown Hanoi, Vietnam.
Reportedly by coincidence, Kim was booked in the same hotel that the White House had booked for the American media who cover President Donald Trump.
Upon Kim's arrival, his security team became upset when they learned that the U.S. press center was set up at the Melia hotel.
"KJU's security flipped out," Bloomberg White House correspondent Jennifer Jacobs wrote in a tweet. "North Koreans yelling, demanding journalists in lobby not to take pictures or even look at the scene."
TV networks spent weeks setting up cameras and equipment shipped to Hanoi’s Melia hotel, the White House’s designat… https://t.co/Bl4hmd1zO6— Jennifer Jacobs (@Jennifer Jacobs) 1551170146.0
What's the story?
The American media had been on site for weeks setting up their media center in preparation for the second summit between President Donald Trump and Kim.
"A lot of work had gone into setting up this media center. Send your regards to the advance team who had to waist (sic) their time on this," Washington Post reporter John Hudson wrote on Twitter.
A lot of work had gone into setting up this media center. Send your regards to the advance team who had to waist th… https://t.co/zQMCzf5umI— John Hudson (@John Hudson) 1551155911.0
American reporters were pushed into a restaurant and banned from taking photos when Kim arrived at the hotel, according to Bloomberg correspondent Margaret Talev.
"Quite a scene at the #Hanoi Melia. They've rolled the red carpet from the front door to elevator awaiting KJU and cleared all guests out of the lobby. All window shades pulled down and those of us ushered into the restaurant ordered to take no photos," Talev tweeted.
Quite a scene at the #Hanoi Melia. They’ve rolled the red carpet from the front door to elevator awaiting KJU and c… https://t.co/qh2Pn84szL— Margaret Talev (@Margaret Talev) 1551152043.0
"Security forces prohibited us from taking pictures from inside the hotel though we could see (state?) camera rolling on him as his entourage came thru. Guards were literally right up on us saying no cameras," Talev wrote in another tweet.
Security forces prohibited us from taking pictures from inside the hotel though we could see (state?) camera rollin… https://t.co/vSWHsDiq3O— Margaret Talev (@Margaret Talev) 1551153895.0
"In nearly 10 years covering the @WhiteHouse, having been on Presidential trips to more than 100 countries, I have never seen the White House Press Corps kicked out of our unilateral press/broadcast center by request of a foreign leader," Fox News chief White House correspondent John Roberts tweeted.
In nearly 10 years covering the @WhiteHouse, having been on Presidential trips to more than 100 countries, I have n… https://t.co/Wxl7VP3Xzd— John Roberts (@John Roberts) 1551194318.0
What did Vietnamese officials say?
The official announcement about the White House press corps' relocation came in a tweet from Vietnamese officials.
"FYI: the American Media Center will be relocated from Melia hotel to International Media Center at 91 Tran Hung Dao Hanoi #DPRKUSA #HanoiSummit," the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs tweeted Tuesday morning.
📢📢📢FYI: the American Media Center will be relocated from Melia hotel to International Media Center at 91 Tran Hung… https://t.co/FlCkVAqy6C— MoFAVietNam Spokesperson (@MoFAVietNam Spokesperson) 1551143250.0
What else?
Kim arrived ahead of Trump, who traveled more than 20 hours aboard Air Force One.
"Just arrived in Vietnam. Thank you to all of the people for the great reception in Hanoi. Tremendous crowds, and so much love!" Trump tweeted.
Just arrived in Vietnam. Thank you to all of the people for the great reception in Hanoi. Tremendous crowds, and so much love!— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1551193694.0
Trump and Kim are scheduled for their second face-to-face meeting on Wednesday. They will continue their talks on denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula. Their first meeting was last June in Singapore.
The White House has not yet commented on the press center situation.