Pool Reports of April 10, 2025

In-town pool report #1 - cabinet meeting opened to pool

Good morning. The White House has informed us that President Trump’s Cabinet meeting will now be open for a pool spray at some point during the meeting. Pool is lining up at 11:45am. More TK.

In-town pool report #2- entered Cabinet meeting

The pool entered the cabinet meeting room at 12:46pm.

President Trump began his remarks at 12:47pm.

He is flanked by Defense Sec. Pete Hegseth and Sec. of State Marco Rubio. Elon Musk is also present.

"We had a big day yesterday," Trump said at the beginning. "It was the biggest day in history, the markets. So we're very, very happy with the way the country is running. We're trying to get the world to treat us fairly. This is something that should have been done 25 years ago. Should have been done 40 years ago, and it wasn't."

More TK.

In-town pool report #3 - taking questions

Trump began taking questions from the pool at 1:36pm. Before the Q&A, each member of the Cabinet and Musk gave brief statements. Musk is seated at the far end of the table, with the words "Top Secret!!" written on his notepad.

The cabinet meeting is being live-streamed so please check the transcript.

Some quotes from Trump's introduction:

On his tariff policy, Trump said "There will always be transition difficulty" but added that he's proud of having "the biggest day in history" on markets yesterday.

Trump added: "Everybody wants to come and make a deal, and we're working with a lot of different countries, and it's all going to work out very well. I think it's going to work out really, very well, but we're in good shape."

Commerce Sec. Howard Lutnick gave a tariff negotiation update: "We have so many countries to talk to. They have come with offers that they never, ever, ever would've come with but for the moves that the president has made demanding that people treat the United States with respect."

Treasury Sec. Scott Bessent tried to give positive news amid markets turmoil: "We're going to get an increase in the debt ceiling, so that will be the done and dusted ... for two years." He said the inflation report "was quite good" and that energy prices are down more than 20% since Jan. 20.

More TK

In-town pool report #4 - notes from Cabinet meeting

The Cabinet meeting ended at 2:00pm. Trump took a handful of questions from the pool. Some notable moments below. Here is the livestream.

Trump punted to Bessent when asked about today's market dive, saying he hasn't seen anything yet because he's been in the Cabinet meeting. Bessent predicted that as negotiations play out, "we will end up in a place of great certainty over the next 90 days with tariffs." Bessent added: "I don't see anything unusual today."

Trump said if deals aren't reached, higher tariffs will come back. He declined to rule out the possibility of extending the 90-day pause he placed on his "reciprocal" tariffs yesterday.

On the escalating trade war with China, Trump said "I have great respect for president Xi... he's been a friend of mine for a long period of time. I think that we'll end up working out something that's very good for both countries. I look forward to it."

"We'll see what happens with China. We would love to be able to work a deal. They've really taken advantage of our country for a long period of time," Trump said. He brushed off China's move to cut the number of American movies shown in the nation. "I think I've heard of worse things," he said, eliciting some laughs among his Cabinet in the room.

Earlier, Trump said his administration will work with farmers who are in the country illegally. "If they have strong recommendations for their farms, for certain people, we're going to let them stay in for a while," he said. "Work with the farmers, and then come back and go through a process, a legal process, but we have to take care of our farmers."

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced that the Trump Administration will release files related to the 1968 assassinations of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in the coming days. She said those papers "have been sitting in boxes in storage for decades." "We've been scanning – we've had over 100 people working around the clock to scan the paper around RFK – Sen. Robert F. Kennedy's assassination, as well as Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination," Gabbard said.

Attorney General Pam Bondi said the U.S. will not negotiate with people accused of attacking or vandalizing Teslas and Tesla dealerships: "And you know, you also gave us a directive to prosecute the people who are going after Tesla, to the fullest extent of the law, some of the greatest police work I've seen. We've made four arrests," Bondi said. "There will be no negotiations at your directive... They're all looking at 20 years in prison."

In-town pool report #5 - lunch lid

The White House called a lunch lid until 3pm.

In-town pool report #6 - lid

The White House called a travel/photo lid at 6:26pm. The pool has received no further information on the President's bill signing or swearing-in ceremony, which remained closed to the press.

Have a good evening, folks.