So that the timeline is clear:
On Monday, at about 11:30 a.m. EST, the U.S. State Department sent a warning to journalists traveling with President Obama, saying “journalists are expressly prohibited from leaving the hotel or engaging in any journalistic activities outside of coverage of the POTUS visit” during the upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia.
On Monday, at about 9:30 p.m. EST, those same reporters received an email from Qorvis Communications, which represents the Saudi kingdom in the United States, with a message from Saudi Amb. Al-Jubeir, which said, “We don’t know where the guidance to journalists came from but it is not at all accurate. Journalists coming to Saudi are encouraged to go wherever and cover whatever they wish.”
On Tuesday, at about 3:50 a.m. EST, those same reporters recieved a second message from the State Department that read, “The US Embassy in Riyadh Saudi Arabia would like to recall the inaccurate guidance issued to the White House press corps on June 1.” While the travel restrictions are no longer operative, the message said, certain restrictions on photographing Saudi citizens and property, wearing inappropriate attire, and importing items like pork products and alcoholic beverages remain in effect.