Pool Reports of December 11, 2020

WH Pool Report #1 | Good Morning

?Good morning folks,

I'll be your pooler today, on this sunny morning – right now in the low 50s. The rest of the team and I were just tested for COVID-19 in Lower Press, and we're holding tight. The president has no public events scheduled, and has been active on Twitter today.

Deputy Press Secretary Brian Morgenstern did a 10-minute gaggle around Pebble Beach before call time today. I'm copying the C-SPAN recording here. (https:/www.c-span.org/video/?507218-1/deputy-press-secretary-brian-morgenstern-...)

We also had a surprise visit from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who was wearing an American flag mask and declined to take questions. He entered the Brady Room with his son and other family to take pictures. The big news of the day, he announced, was that his son just got engaged.

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions. Happy Holidays all!

WH Pool Report #2 | Lunch Lid

?Good afternoon,

The pool received a lunch lid at 2:58 p.m., with a return time of 4:00 p.m. The president has been in the Oval much of the day, but there's no news to report from the WH.

WH Pool Report #3 | Press Releases

?Copying two releases from the White House below – one on a brokered peace between Israel and Morocco and another on a new designation on Nigeria and religious freedom. Both were sent out already on the WH mailing list, but are newsworthy.

PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP HAS BROKERED PEACE BETWEEN ISRAEL AND THE KINGDOM OF MOROCCO

"As more countries normalize relations with Israel — which will happen quite quickly, we believe — the region will become more and more stable, secure, and prosperous."– President Donald J. Trump

ACHIEVING PEACE: President Donald J. Trump has brokered a peace agreement between Morocco and Israel—the fourth such agreement in just 4 months.
* Morocco and Israel agreed to make peace, normalize their relations, and in the coming weeks will resume full diplomatic relations.
* The agreement will allow the two to work to promote increased economic cooperation, reopen the liaison offices in Rabat and Tel Aviv, and discuss other areas of cooperation.
* Through this historic step, Morocco is building on its long-standing bond with the Moroccan Jewish community living in Morocco and throughout the world, including in Israel.
* This expansion of the Abraham Accords further enhances Israel's security, while creating opportunities for the two countries to deepen their economic ties and improve the lives of their people.

RECOGNIZING MOROCCAN SOVEREIGNTY: President Trump is also recognizing Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, rejecting the status quo and driving toward the only serious, credible, and realistic solution to the Western Sahara conflict.
* Yesterday, President Trump announced American recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over the Western Sahara, as well as our intention to open a United States consulate in the region.
* The United States believes that Morocco's autonomy plan is the only realistic option to achieve a just, lasting, and mutually acceptable solution to the dispute over Western Sahara.
* Morocco is one of the oldest and closest allies of the United States and every Administration since President Clinton has affirmed its support for Morocco's autonomy proposal.
* President Trump urges all parties to constructively engage with the United Nations and consider creative and genuine ways to move the peace process forward.
* This recognition leaves room for a negotiated solution and the United States remains committed to working with Morocco, the Polisario, and all involved regional and international actors to support the necessary work ahead and create a more peaceful and prosperous region.

TRANSFORMING THE REGION: Under President Trump's leadership, the Middle East and Africa are moving away from the conflicts of the past and toward a more prosperous future.
* Thanks to the President's bold foreign policy vision and his acumen as a dealmaker, nations across the Middle East and Africa are realizing the benefits of his work to promote prosperity and peace throughout the world.
* The President's wise foreign policy strategy has created the conditions for peace between Israel and its neighbors.
* Likewise, after decades of instability, the Middle East and Africa are experiencing the most rapid geopolitical transformation in over a generation.
* The United States will continue to stand with the people of the region as they work to build a brighter, more hopeful future.

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Statement from the Press Secretary

This week, the United States designated Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern for severe violations of religious freedom. As President Donald J. Trump said to President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria when they met in 2018, the United States is deeply concerned by religion-based violence in Nigeria, particularly the killing and persecution of Christians. Tragically, since that meeting, millions of Nigerians have continued to live in fear for their lives, and several thousand have been brutally murdered because of their faith. Since taking office, President Trump has made it clear that his Administration will fight to defend and to advance the inalienable right to worship freely and to live in accordance with one's faith, whether here in the United States or beyond America's borders. Governments whose leaders have allowed perpetrators of vicious religious persecution to act with impunity pose a national security threat to the United States and the world. This week's designation rightfullycalls out the Nigerian government's inexcusable lack of action to end faith-based violence.

WH Pool Report #4 | Lid

?The pool received a travel/photo lid at 7:33 p.m. Have a nice evening everyone!