Pool Reports of April 30, 2020

In-Town Pool Report #1

Hello! Pool was called at 10:48 to gather for an Oval Office meeting on the schedule for 11 am with NJ Gov. Phil Murphy. More soon.

In town pool report #2

Press was ushered into the Oval for 20 minutes. Gov Murphy praised Trump and his team for help on ventilators and testing in the Oval, said he hopes to double testing in NJ by end of May. (Please check transcript, rough quotes below)

Trump blamed Flynn prosecution on "Dirty cops" at the FBI and said "he's in the process of being exonerated."

"Now we have to see what's going to happen."

On likely 19% unemployment figure projected by his economist Kevin Hassett:

"I think we're going to have a great third quarter." "I think next year is going to be a spectacular year." Said there is "pent up demand."

"We just got hit by a vicious virus that should have never been allowed to escape China, they should have stopped it at the source, they didn't do that."

On the intelligence statement saying cornavirus is not man made: " I haven't seen the report yet, but I will tell you if you speak to the head of intelligence right now and you speak to the head. They did say that I was given a briefing, when I said I was given it, not before, and they also said that it wasn't specific and it wasnt a panic briefing it wasn't like, oh we're going to be invaded." Trump later wouldn't say whether that briefing happened in January but that He would release a report on it.

Trump said he did a better job on COVID than the Obama administration did on swine flu: "If you take a look at the swine flu hin1 or as Biden would say, n1h1." "They did a poor job...I think we did a spectacular job."

Trump said it was a "tough question" about whether to provide states with money to make up for huge revenue shortfalls, did not commit either way.

Larry Kudlow, Kellyanne Conway, Jared Kushner, Mark Meadows and others were also in the Oval for the meeting.

In Town Pool Report #2a more Oval Quotes

A few more quotes from the earlier Oval Office meeting with Gov Murphy. Check against transcript.

On Flynn: "They destroyed him but he's going to come back, like I say he's going to come back, bigger and better." "I don't have to stay out of it at all, but I like to stay out of it."

On whether the federal government should send more checks: "A lot of people are talking about it, but we've given a lot of stimulus."

Says USA has lower mortality rates than many countries: "We're the leader of the world...We've done better, if you look at our deaths, if you look at mortality rates."

On food issues "I expect to to see the supply chain as strong as ever." Said he rectified a "legal roadblock" to fix the situation yesterday and Americans should not fear shortages. "Now I expect things to go very smoothly."

Gov Murphy said NJ could take a 20-30 billion hit from coronavirus. Trump was non-commital on additional support, called it a "tough question"

On vaccines: "If we come up with a vaccine in record time they'll say I should have done it faster."

Murphy also received a rapid covid test prior to the meeting:
Trump to Murphy: Did they test you today?
Murphy: They did.
Trump (joking): Good, now I feel better.
Murphy: I feel like a new man.

Dr Deborah Birx was also in the Oval.

In Town Pool Report #3: Lunch lid

A lunch lid was called at 1:03 p.m. until 2:30 p.m.

In Town Pool Report # 4: Kayleigh McEnany gaggle

Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany took a few questions in the briefing room just now (not from the podium). Partial transcript below, questions paraphrased:

Q-Is the seniors event today about shoring up his approval rating with seniors?
A- "No not in the slightest. Seniors are a vulnerable population, they've been hit by this hard so the president wants to show the steps this administration has been taking to protect seniors. Nothing to do with polling but everything to do with ensuring that our nation's seniors feel protected at this time."

Q-how does the president feel about dropping in the polls?
A-"The president is concerned about one thing and one thing alone and that's protecting the health and well being of the American people."

Q-Trump says China is doing everything to prevent him from being elected. What does he think they're doing?
A: "Why would China want to reelect a president that finally had the courage to go toe to toe (with them)? He just is noting the fact China would like to see someone else in this position".

Q-Jared Kushner's comments framing this as a success for the administration inappropriate when more than 60,000 have died?
A-"I think Jared has been taken entirely out of context. What Jared is referring to is when we came into this there was this discussion about ventilators for example, there would be this ventilator shortage in New York, needing 40,000 ventilators, and the success story is that this administration mobilized the greatest efforts since WWII that we provided something like 4000 ventilators to New York...Not a single American died in this country for lack of a ventilator. I would call that response a success."

Q-What about a Washington Post report saying the admin is weighing a move to allow US citizens to sue China?
A: "I'm not at all read into that issue."

Q: Guidance on future Ohio trip?
A: "I don't have any guidance to give you. I know the Arizona trip will be Tuesday at Honeywell."

Q: "Are you going to be taking the podium soon?"
A: "Never say never."
Q: "Anything scheduled?"
A: "We'll see."

In Town Pool Report #5 background on seniors event

Here's some background from the White House on the seniors event that's scheduled for 4 pm in the East room. Pool is in place and waiting for it to start.

Today, President Donald J. Trump will deliver remarks on the many ways the Trump Administration is protecting America's seniors from the COVID-19 pandemic and will continue to do so as we start the process of opening up America again.

The following individuals are expected to attend:

The White House
President Donald J. Trump
Kellyanne Conway, Assistant to the President and Senior Counselor
Joe Grogan, Assistant to the President and Director of Domestic Policy Council
Doug Hoelscher, Deputy Assistant to the President and Director, Intergovernmental Affairs
Ambassador Debbie Birx, M.D., White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator

Trump Administration
Secretary Alex Azar, Department of Health and Human Services
Secretary Robert Wilke, Department of Veterans Affairs
Administrator Seema Verma, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Department of Health and Human Services
Administrator Pete Gaynor, Federal Emergency Management Agency
General Joseph Lengyel, Chief of the National Guard Bureau and Member Joint Chiefs, DOD

State Elected Official
Governor Bill Lee, Tennessee

External Participants
Jim Martin, Founder and Chairman, 60 Plus
Mark Parkinson, CEO, American Health Care Association
Edo Banach, CEO, National Hospice and Palliative Care OrganizationJames Balda, President and CEO, Argentum
Katie Smith Sloan, CEO, Leading Age

In town pool report #6 seniors event-older americans month

President Trump entered the East Room with Gov Lee and says he's signing a proclamation to declare May "older Americans month." He jokes that this group includes him.

"As we tragically have seen the virus poses the greatest risk to older Americans. Together as one nation we mourn for every precious life that has been lost."

Says "we have millions and millions of masks" praises number of ventilators, and touts that US fatality rate is below that of UK and Spain.

More TK

In town pool report #6a more seniors event

Check quotes against transcript:

Gov Lee says he's committed to testing every resident and staffer in the TN's 700 long term care facilities. "It's time for us to protect them."

"As we take steps to safely reopen our country we must remain vigilant" to protecting older Americans, Trump says. He outlines senior-targeted measures. FEMA will send additional PPE to all medicare certified nursing homes, CARES Act provides funding for nursing home inspections and announces formation of "Coronavirus commission for safety and quality in nursing homes" of scientists and advocates.

"Things were happening at the nursing homes that we're not happy about."

"That's also why we are strongly protecting medicare and social security. We will protect your Social Security, we will protect your Medicare."

Says he will sign a proclamation in a "few moments" to designate "Older Americans Month."

HHS sec Alex Azar and Va sec Wilkie both tout their agencies efforts to help seniors. Wilkie says infection rate is "low" at VA nursing homes and credits that to Trump.

CMS head Seema Verma talked about the "heartbreaking decision" to restrict visits to nursing homes. Trump says there will be "big news" on insulin pricing soon.

Peter Gaynor says nursing homes will get two 7-day supplies of eye protection, masks, gowns and gloves.

Trump signed the proclamation at 4:58.

taking questions now

In town pool report #7 Trump takes qs in East room

check against transcript:

Trump on Biden accusation: "I don't know anything about it. I think he should respond. It could be false accusations—I know all about false accusations." Says he's been falsely accused and what happened to Kavanaugh was a "disgrace". "I can't speak for Biden, I can only say I think he should respond."

Would he pardon Flynn? "It looks to me like Michael Flynn would be exonerated...I don't know that anybody would have to use that power." "Hopefully we wouldn't have to get there." Says he would "consider" bringing him back into the administration.

On Jared Kushner saying the response was a great success story: "He's saying the facts." Says US is now giving ventilators to other countries. "I don't think anybody's done a better job with testing, with ventilators...we had very little to work with." "When somebody uses the word successful it has been successful."

"China is a very sophisticated country they could have contained it."
"China doesn't want to see me elected...I don't want to cast any aspersions I just tell you that China would like to see sleepy joe Biden."

"I think next year we're going to have a phenomenal year economically."

Trump on some governors who want to strip unemployment if workers don't go back to work due to extra 600/week in unemployment insurance. "It's short term and we're being very generous with people who lost their job so it's not the biggest problem I've ever heard." He says Dems wanted the extra money and he warned some people might want to stay on unemployment because of it.

Lower the flag for Covid deaths: "I think lowering the flags would be something very appropriate."

"I don't think anybody can feel worse than I do about all the death and destruction that's so needless...but at the same time, we have to get our country open again."

In town pool report #7a more Trump q&a

The president took questions for 38 minutes.

Trump asked if he's seen intelligence indicating with a high degree of confidence that the virus originated from a Wuhan Lab. "Yes I have," he says.

But later says "there's a lot of theories." "We're going to see where it is, we're going to see where it comes from."

Asked how he feels confident it came from the Wuhan lab, Trump says: "I'm not allowed to tell you that."

Is he demanding inspection of the lab? "So far I think China is trying to somewhat transparent with us."

On Kim jong un: "Well I understand what's going on...I just hope everything is going to be fine" says he can't talk about his condition now

On aid for states: "The democrats have come to us and they'd like to do a phase 4" bill with bailouts for states. .. "They happen to be democratic states" it's California, NY and Illinois. "the republican states are doing very well. Maybe the democrats should have brought this up earlier"
"I think we want to take a little bit of a pause but if we do that we have to get something for it."

Trump says he hasn't decided on whether he's wearing a mask for his Arizona trip next week. "I have no problem wearing a mask."

In Town pool report #8: LID

A travel/photo lid was called at 5:54 pm. Good night!