Pool Reports of April 3, 2025

In-town pool report #1 - lunch lid

Greetings from the White House. A lunch lid has been called until 12:30 p.m.

In-town pool report #2 -- Rollins gaggle

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins gaggled very briefly with reporters after doing a TV hit.

On the new tariffs announced yesterday, Secretary Rollins said there "will be a short time of uncertainty, and then we'll move back to the prosperity that this President has envisioned."

"I'm really focused on our farmers and our ranchers," Rollins added.

Otter link here (h/t to National Review's Audrey Fahlberg).

In-town pool report #3 -- gathering for departure

The pool has been called to gather for President Trump's departure from the White House.

In-town pool report #4 M1 liftoff/tariffs quotes

POTUS stopped to speak briefly with the press. Trump said he was headed to Florida to take part in a golf event.

Trump then took one question on the stock market drop in reaction to his new tariffs.

Check quotes against transcript.

"I think it's going very well," Trump said.

The United States will "have six or seven trillion dollars coming into our country."

"The markets are going to boom," and "the country is going to boom," Trump said. He added that other counties "have taken advantage of us for many, many years."

Trump walked across the South Lawn and boarded Marine One at 2:28 p.m.

National Security Adviser Mike Waltz followed and didn't respond to shouted questions before boarding M1.

M1 lifted off at 2:32 p.m.

Handing off to travel pool.

travel note #1 - JBA departure/no talking

Greetings from Joint Base Andrews.

Marine One was wheels down at 2:40 pm.

POTUS disembarked the helo at 2:44 pm. He was followed by Susie Wiles, Mike Waltz, Walter Nauta, and Sergio Gor.

He did not come over to talk. He saluted the officer, boarded AF1 at 2:45 pm, waving from the top of the stairs.

AF1 is wheels up shortly to Miami.

travel note #2 - Miami landing/Trump gaggle

AF1 was wheels up JBA at 2:54 pm and wheels down Miami at 4:45 pm.

POTUS came back to gaggle during the flight. He took questions for about 20 minutes. Karoline Leavitt and Howard Lutnick stood behind him during gaggle.

He started off by showing off the $5 million gold card and said he was first buyer. "It'll be out in about less than two weeks. It's pretty exciting."

On the markets: "It's what is expected. The patient was very sick. The economy had a lot of problems. … It was a sick patient. It went through an operation. It's going to be a booming economy. It's going to be amazing. We're going to have trillions coming in."

More: "The operation is over. And now we let it settle in." He said a lot of manufacturing plants were being built and "you'll see a lot of construction jobs."

Chips and pharma tariffs starting soon.

"The chips are starting very soon. The pharma is going to start coming in, I think, at a level that we haven't really seen before. We are looking at pharma right now. Pharmaceuticals. It's a separate category. We'll be announcing that sometime in the near future. It's under review right now."

"Every country is calling us. That's the beauty of what we do. We put ourselves in the drivers seat - if we would have asked these countries to do us a favor. They would have said no. Now they will do anything for us."

On his tariffs: "It's going to make our county very rich."

Is he willing to make deals with counties: "Well it depends. … As long as they are giving us something that is good. For instance with TikTok. … We have a situation with TikTok where China will probably say we'll approve a deal but will you do something on the tariffs. The tariffs give us great power to negotiate. They always have. I've used them very well in the first administration . … Now we're taking it to a whole new level."

Asked if these were talks he was having with China: "No I'm just using that as an example."

On TikTok: "We're very close to a deal with a very good group of people." He said it was "multiple" investors.

Asked if he had a message to American businesses worried about his tariffs: "I think it's all going to work out. Remember there are no tariffs if you build your plant or make your product in the US. So there's going to be transition period."

He spoke to auto CEO's today but won't say who.

On stock market and worried about retirement: "I haven't checked my 401K."

On making an endorsement in the NYC mayor's race: "It's not something I'm thinking about."

On talks with Russia: "Europe has not been very successful dealing with Putin. I think I will be."

On NSC firings: "We're always going to let go of people - people we don't like or people that take advantage of or people that may have loyalties to someone else."

On Loomer: "Laura Loomer is a great patriot. She's a very strong person."

"She makes recommendations and people and sometimes I listen to those recommendations. … I listen to everybody and then I make a decision."

"She always has something to say and it's usually constructive. … She recommended some people for jobs." He wouldn't say who and what jobs.

Asked if Loomer had anything to do with NSC firings: "No not all."

He said he spoke to Israeli PM Netanyahu today: "I think he's going to be coming to country some time in the not so distance future - maybe next week."

He said on Musk: Elon is "fantastic" and "a patriot." "I like smart people and he's a smart person."

"He's is going to stay a certain period of time and then he's going to get back to his businesses full time. But he's doing a fantastic job."

On DOGE: "They're still going strong." He said they found something horrible today. Asked what: "You'll find out soon."

Asked if he would appoint Musk to another position: "I would. I think Elon's great. But he also had a number of companies to run."

More: "But there's a point at which time Elon's gotta have to leave." Asked when: "I would think a few months."

He added: "I want Elon to stay as long as possible."

Endorsed Rep. Luna's resolution for proxy voting for new mothers: "I don't know why it's controversial."

If he supports it: "I'm going to let the speaker make the decision but I like the idea. … I'm in favor of that. .. I would agree with that."

He spoke to her yesterday.

On Iran: "I think they'd like to have direct talks."

Asked about Sec Hegseth being invested on Signal: "Don't bring that up again. … It's such a wasted story."

Talking to UK PM Starmer about Chagos islands: "We're talking to the prime minister and we'll see how it works out."

As always please check transcript.

AF1 is taxing to a stop now.

From WH:

Additional names on the trip:

James Blair
Secretary Lutnick
Karoline Leavitt
At the beginning of the gaggle, the President was holding up the $5 million dollar Gold Card.

travel note #3 - issue with Marine one/gaggle otter link

POTUS stepped off AF1 at 4:55 pm.

He stopped at the bottom of the steps to give the press a raised fist. He did not come over to talk.

He boarded Marine One at 4:56 pm. However, he never took off. It just taxied. Turns out his helo has a flat tire and cannot take off. It stopped further down the runway.

Stand by. Pool being held at a distance and we're waiting to see what happens.

And here is an otter of POTUS gaggle:
https://otter.ai/u/gN0FkZcazi_BJMKBJtZ5HhpyhW4

travel note #4 - POTUS to Doral

POTUS got off Marine One at 5:15 pm and got on to one of the backup helicopters, which is now Marine One.

He was wearing a red MAGA hat with his suit.

It took off at 5:19 pm and flew away. The helicopter with the flat tire remains on the tarmac.

Note: POTUS is going to Trump Doral for a dinner ahead of the LIV Golf Tournament. During his gaggle he said he would make a speech and the dinner was for charity. He also repeated his wish for LIV and PGA tours to combine and said he was working on that.

Pool is not going with him but is dead heading to Palm Beach on AF1. Pool will be present in Palm Beach when he lands there tonight after dinner.

travel note #5 - POTUS lands at Doral

From the White House:

The President landed at Trump National Doral Golf Club Landing Zone at 5:35 PM EDT.

travel note #6 - POTUS back at Miami airport/headed to Palm Beach

POTUS arrived at the Miami airport on Marine One at 9:54 pm.

He was originally scheduled to take Marine One to Palm Beach but is now taking AF1.

POTUS was wheels up from Doral at 9:52 pm per the White House.

Trump stepped off Marine One at 9:58 pm. He gave the pool a thumbs up but did not come over to talk. He boarded Air Force One at 9:59 pm with a wave at the top of the stairs.

Note: Pool ended up holding on AF1 on the tarmac of Miami airport the entire time POTUS was at Doral.

And the helo with the flat tire is still sitting on the tarmac of the Miami airport as AF1 prepares to depart.

travel note #7 - Palm Beach airport

Air Force One took off from Miami at 10:08 pm and arrived in Palm Beach at 10:27 pm.

The short flight was uneventful with no visitors to the press cabin.

POTUS disembarked at 10:40 pm. He waved to pool but didn't come over to talk. He got directly into the the Beast.

At 10:43 pm, the motorcade is rolling.

travel note #8 - Mar-a-Lago arrival and lid

The motorcade arrived at Mar-a-Lago at 10:51 pm after an uneventful drive.

The Beast spilt off and pool didn't see POTUS enter the compound.

At 10:52 pm we have a travel photo lid.