Pool Reports of February 18, 2020

In-town pool report #1 -- hello from your print pooler

Good morning from the White House on this overcast Tuesday that feels like a Monday. I'll be your in-town print pooler for the day. Nothing on the schedule until POTUS departs the White House around 12:30 p.m. for JBA to head to Los Angeles. Will advise if anything else pops up.

In-town pool report #2 -- announcement coming

Pool is gathered at the stakeout location for an announcement. More TK.

In-town pool report #3 --

Hogan Gidley at stakeout mics announces that Trump has granted a full pardon to Edward DeBartolo Jr. and a press release is forthcoming.

In-town pool report #4 -- Jerry Rice on DeBartolo

Among the people who spoke at the stakeout about DeBartolo is former NFL player Jerry Rice. He said he got the opportunity to play "the greatest game ever," NFL football, with the San Francisco 49ers because of DeBartolo, who was the team's owner at the time.

"It was all about family. That's really what they stood for. And that's the reason why I think we won so many championships," Rice said.

"Eddie was like that 12th man that was on that football field. You know that this guy, you know, he wanted us to win. And I think he's the main reason why we won so many Super Bowls. So today is a great day for him. I'm glad to be here and be a part of that. And, you know, it's just something I'll never forget. You know, this man, he has done so much in the community, he has done so much in NFL football."

Asked what the president said to him, Rice said it's really just about DeBartolo and his accomplishments.

"I take my hat off to Donald Trump for what he did."

Others who spoke at the stakeout (helpfully identified by other reporters more familiar with football than me) include former NFL players Jim Brown, Ronnie Lott and Charles Haley.

In-town pool report #5 -- ready for motorcade departure

Pool has loaded into the vans and is ready for a motorcade departure to JBA. Have inquired about why we're motorcading since the sun is out and skies appear to be clear. Will advise if I get a response.

In-town pool report #6 -- on the move to JBA

Motorcade with POTUS traveling in the beast and your pool behind in the vans is on the move at 1:17 p.m., heading to JBA more than half an hour behind schedule.

I caught a brief glimpse of POTUS leaving the Oval and heading toward the front of the motorcade with Vice President Mike Pence before they turned around behind the fence. Pence went back toward the Oval and Trump remained behind the wall for a few minutes before reemerging and loading into the beast.

In-town pool report #7 -- JBA arrival

The motorcade arrived at JBA at 1:37 p.m. No stops along the way.

POTUS sent this tweet while we were on Suitland Parkway: https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1229835921777930240?s=19

As we left the White House, several onlookers lined the streets taking cell phone photos and videos of the motorcade. One woman in a group standing nearby the White House held a blue Trump 2020 banner with the Keep America Great America slogan on it.

In-town pool report #8 -- Trump speaking on tarmac

[APP Note: No additional text was included in this report.]

In-town pool report #9 -- comments on Barr and Stone

President Donald Trump agreed with comments Attorney General William Barr made last week about the president's tweets making his job harder.

"I do make his job harder. That's true."

Trump called Barr "a man with great integrity."

Asked something I couldn't hear about Roger Stone, Trump said:

"I think Roger Stone has been treated very unfairly. I think Michael Flynn has been treated very unfairly," he said, noting unspecified others who've also been treated unfairly.

Asked if Stone deserves any prison time, Trump demurred, saying, "You're going to see what happens."

In-town pool report #10

Trump finished speaking to the pool and boarded Air Force One at 1:56 p.m. They were wheels up at 2:04 p.m. The in- town pool is now rolling back to the White House.

POTUS took questions on the tarmac on a range of topics from Stone and Barr to this morning's pardon, from Venezuela to "anonymous" and leakers, from Sens. Chris Murphy and Lindsey Graham, the latter whom is traveling with him, to his schedule while on the west coast. Will transcribe as much as I could hear and pass along shortly.

In-town pool report #11 -- tarmac comments part 1

Pool is back at the White House. Here's the first part of Trump's tarmac comments, transcribed. More TK in subsequent pool reports.

POTUS had begun talking to the out-of- town pool by the time the in-town pool joined them on the tarmac. Picking up from the first question I heard:

Q: Do you have confidence in the attorney general?

"I have total confidence."

Q: Do you agree with his statement [exact words inaudible but about Barr comments that Trump tweeting makes his job harder]?

Beginning part inaudible but something about right to speak their mind -- not clear if he was referring to Barr or himself in that moment, but he moved onto himself, saying:

"I do social media. I guess I use it well because here I am. I probably wouldn't have gotten here without social media because I certainly don't get fair press."

Familiar remarks about the "Mueller hoax" and having to use social media to fight back because he doesn't get fair press.

"So I'm very happy with social media. But I think he is doing an excellent job. He's a strong guy. I never spoke to him about the Roger stone situation. Roger Stone, just so you know, never worked -- he didn't work for my campaign. There might have been a time way early, long before I announced, where he was somehow involved a little bit. But he was not involved in our campaign at all.

And I think it was a very, very rough thing that happened to Roger Stone. Because when you look at what happened to Comey after 78 days, horrific report, when you remember what happened to McCabe with a recommendation of prosecution and you look at all of these other people. And then you look at what happened to General Flynn, a highly respected man. Look at him. I mean his life has been destroyed.

You look at a Roger Stone for a tweet and some other things. You take a look at what's happening to these people. Somebody has to stick up for the people.

So my social media is very powerful. I guess Mark Zuckerberg recently said Trump is number one in the world in social media, which is a very nice statement. ... It means I have a voice so I'm able to fight the fake news."

Q: Lengthy question about Barr. Couldn't hear first half but second half was about Barr saying Trump is making his job impossible. "Are you making his job impossible?"

"I do make his job harder. I do agree with that. I think that's true. He's a very straight shooter. We have a great attorney general and he's working very hard. He's working against a lot of people that don't want to see good things happen, in my opinion. That's my opinion, not his opinion. That's my opinion. You'll have to ask what his opinion is.

But I will say this: Social media for me has been very important because it gives me a voice, because I don't get that voice in the press, in the media. I don't get that voice. So I'm allowed to have a voice."

Q: Do you think he can still do his job with integrity though?

"Oh yeah. He's a very -- he's a man with great integrity. The attorney general is a man with incredible integrity. Just so you understand: I chose not to be involved. I'm allowed to be totally involved. I'm actually, I guess the chief law enforcement officer of the country, but I've chosen not to be involved. But he is a man of great integrity. But I would be -- I could be involved if I wanted to."

In-town pool report #12 -- tarmac comments part 2

Part 2 of Q&A with Trump from the tarmac. Picking up from where I left off in pool report #11. Will have a part 3 in pool report #13 and that's it.

Q: Are you also pardoning Bernie Kerik?

"Yes, I just pardoned Bernie Kerik, a man who [I got] many recommendations from a lot of good people. You know often time, pretty much all the time, I really rely on the recommendations of people that know them. We have Bernie Kerik. We have Mike Milken, who's gone around and done an incredible job for the world. .. [inaudible]... He suffered greatly. He paid a big price, a very tough price, but he's done an incredible job. ... [inaudible] ... You have to look at the recommendations. I rely on recommendations."

Q: On Roger Stone, are you going to pardon him?

"I haven't given it any thought. In the meantime [inaudible], but I think he's being treated unfairly."

Q: You tweeted this morning about China and wanting to let companies [inaudible]. Are you not concerned about national security on that?

"I'm very concerned about national security. Number one, I'm concerned about national security. Nobody's done a better job with national security than me. You take a look at what's going on, we've done a great job on national security. A lot of countries are a lot different now than before when I started. But I will tell you we're not going to be sacrificing our companies, for all of the growth and everything else ... [inaudible] by using a [inaudible] of national security. [inaudible] ... And I think people are getting carried away. So I want our companies [inaudible]. I want our companies to be allowed to do business. [inaudible] have nothing to do with national security."

[He said some more stuff but most of it was inaudible.]

"We want to be able to sell all of this incredible technology. We're number one in the world."

[more mostly inaudible comments; not sure if there was new question asked somewhere in here that I couldn't hear]

"I"m not willing to give things to people. But we are negotiating with the Taliban and we've been negotiating with them for a while. We'll see what happens."

Q: [someone asked a Q here but I couldn't hear it]

"...Sen. Murphy met with the Iranians, is that a fact? I just saw that on the way over. Anything that I should know? Because that sounds like to me a violation of the Logan Act. What happened with that? Did you tweet about senator, did you hear about Senator Murphy and the Iranians?"

Q: Tell us about it.

"Well they ought to find out about it if it's true. I don't know. It just came out as I was leaving the car."

Q: On Venezuela, do you think Guaidó is still the guy to get Maduro out of office?

"Well he's the first in that country right now ... [inaudible] ... We'll see what happens ... [inaudible] very strong this morning on Venezuela and we'll see what happens. We're watching Venezuela very closely."

Q: I know you were asked specifically about Roger Stone, but are you ruling out pardons [inaudible]?

"I'm not even thinking about it in fact. There's a process that people are going through. These are unrelated situations where people have done a great job with very, very strong recommendations, but we haven't thought about that yet. Right now, there's a process. I think Roger Stone has been treated unfairly. I think General Flynn has been treated very unfairly. I think a lot of people have been treated very unfairly. I think the Mueller scam is just exactly what a lot of people [inaudible] because it was started illegally. It was started by abuse. It was a phony, it was a fake dossier and they went in, they went into the FISA courts and they forged papers and they did a lot of bad things. So the whole Mueller thing to me is a scam."

Q: Does Roger Stone deserve any prison time?

"You're going to see what happens."

Q: [something about President Erdo?an but couldn't hear specifics]

"I had a very good conversation with President Erdo?an. I respect him. We have a very good relationship. Yes, I agree, he's a tough guy. But we have a very good relationship. ... [inaudible] ... in our interests and we're working together."

In-town pool report #12 -- tarmac comments part 3/final

Part 3 and final in-town pool report from Trump's tarmac comments. Sorry so much of it was hard to hear. Hopefully you all watched the TV feeds and picked up what you needed.

From here officially handing off to the out-of-town pool for the rest of the day unless the White House sends any statements or readouts to share.

Q: [inaudible but seemed to be something about his schedule while out west this week]

"I don't know exactly the schedule, because I don't set the schedule."

[crosstalk with reporter asking a follow up I couldn't hear]

"Largely the schedule is set by DC conservatives. We do what they want us to. But we're going California, we're going to Nevada, we're going Arizona, we're going to different places. And I guess we're coming back here. But I don't set the schedule. I have nothing to do with that."

Q: [inaudible]

"He doesn't need that kind of advice. He's been doing it for a long time. It just seems unfair what's been happening to Bernie Sanders to be honest. I watched this happen four years ago. And always be careful what you wish for. And I'm not wishing for anything. Whoever it is, I'll be very happy. But it seems that Bernie Sanders and that whole big section of the Democratic Party [inaudible] ... it seems there is negative energy [inaudible] four years ago."

Q: mostly inaudible but something about "being in Nevada while the Democrats..."

"Well I'll be making a speech in Nevada. And that will be probably the day before I guess ... It seems to be pretty effective. We got more votes than any incumbent president in history in Iowa and then New Hampshire as you saw. In that case I went just before the day before and I went the day before, in both cases [inaudible]. So it should be effective. I'll be going to South Carolina -- they're working that out now -- probably the day before."

Q: mostly inaudible but heard "coronavirus"

"President Xi is working very hard and you know I told him recently that he's working really hard. It's a tough problem. ... [inaudible but heard "hospitals"] ... I really believe he wants to get that done and he wants to get it done fast. Yes, I think he's doing it very professionally. [inaudible]."

Q: follow up about "data coming out of China. Are you worried about that?"

"Look, I know this. President Xi loves the people of China, he loves his country and he's doing a very good job with a very, very tough situation."

Q from your pooler: Senator Graham is traveling with you. Do you want to talk to him about the Judiciary Committee doing any investigations into the Bidens or others?

"If it comes up, yes. But we'll see what happens with that. That's really up to Senator Graham. And he is traveling with us."

Q: [inaudible]

"Well we can have a trade deal with India but I'm really sad because [inaudible] later on. We're doing a very big trade with India. We'll have it. I don't know if it will be done before the election, but we'll have a very big agreement. We're not treated very well by India, but I happen to like Prime Minister Modi a lot and he's hoping we'll have 7 million people in the airports and ... [rest was inaudible]."

[crosstalk with reporters about who is traveling to India]

Q: some cross talk I couldn't hear followed by "who do you think it is?"

"I know who it is."

Q: Who is it?

"I can't tell you that. But I know."

Q: Why not?

[mostly inaudible as wind picked up]

"I know all about anonymous. I know a lot about the leakers. We know a lot. When I want to get something out to press, I tell certain people. And it's amazing, it gets out there. But so far I'm leaving it that way."

That's likely all from me today. Was a more exciting pool day than I anticipated. Thanks for being patient with me!

In-town pool report #12a -- correction

Correction to the first question I mentioned in pool report #12. While I heard DC conservatives set the schedule, Trump actually said "the Secret Service," according to the White House transcript.

The transcript is out now so please check all quotes against that, which will also fill in the holes on questions that were inaudible to me.

Travel pool report #1: NEWS - Trump commutes Blagojevich sentence

More TK

POTUS climbed out of the motorcade at 1:40 pm after flashing a thumbs up through the window and came to speak to the pool.

"Yes, we commuted the sentence of rod blagojevich. he served eight years in jail, a long time. He seems like a very nice person, don't know him."

Says he has "total confidence" in AG Barr. On Barr's comment on him tweeting: "Everybody has the right to speak their mind."

Travel pool report #2: Says he hasn't thought about pardoning Roger Stone

Is he planning to pardon Roger Stone? "I haven't given it any thought ... but I think he's being treated unfairly."

"somebody has to stick up for the people."

Is he making Barr'a job impossible?
"I do make his job harder. I do agree with that, I do. He's working against a lot of people who don't want to see good things happen in my opinion."

Can Barr do his job with his integrity?
"The attorney general is a man with great integrity. I chose not to be involved. I'm allowed to be involved. I could be involved if I want to be."

Bernie Karik is pardoned: "a lot of times I really rely on the people that know them."

Peace deal in Afghanistan: "We could quit that very quickly and easily if I were willing to kill millions of people. I'm not willing to kill millions of people so we are negotiating with the Taliban. We will see what happens."

Travel pool report #3: more quotes + wheels up for LA

Says he hasn't considered pardons for Flynn, Stone, or Manafort.

Does Stone deserve any prison time? "you're going to see what happens. I think he's treated unfairly."

Also says Flynn is being treated very unfairly.

On West Coast swing - Why did he want to stay in Las Vegas every night? "Largely that the schedule is by the Secret Service we do what they want us to. I don't set the schedule I have nothing to do with it."

Advice for Bloomberg in debate: "he doesn't need advice ... it just seems unfair what's happening to Bernie sanders, to be honest with you."

On President Xi and coronavirus: "He's working really hard. It's a tough problem. Look, I've seen them build hospitals in a short period of time ... we are also working with him and helping him for the past few days, as you know."

Says he's wanting to go to South Carolina before their primary. (Senator Graham is traveling with him.)

Says he won't tell us who Anonymous is but says he knows a lot.
Says "some of the leakers are made up by the press." Says when he wants to get news out he talks to certain members of the press.

Says he's going to be at "the largest stadium in the world" in India and he is excited for 7 million people.

After speaking to pool for 15 minutes, POTUS boarded AF1 at 1:56pm. We are wheels up shortly for an approximately 5.5 hour flight.

Aides spotted include Judd Deere, Stephanie Grisham and Eric Ueland.

Thanks to Ashley Parker of Wapo for catching some of these quotes.

Travel pool report #4: California arrival

AF1 landed in Los Angeles at 4:15 pm PST.

The flight contained some off the record visits, first from Stephanie Grisham for a few minutes, and then POTUS - with an assist from Kevin McCarthy - for about 30 minutes.

POTUS disembarked at 4:26 pm and waved to a crowd of onlookers. Their cheers were audible over the many loud aircraft on LAX tarmac. He walked over to the group alongside McCarthy, clapping. He shook hands with several. One man yelled out "YEAH BUDDY YOU'RE THE MAN!" at the president. POTUS also signed a white hat and posed for a selfie.

Jared Kushner was among the aides coming down the stairs behind POTUS off of AF1.

POTUS will momentarily board Marine One en route to Santa Monica where he will visit Montage Beverly Hills for an Olympics committee meeting and two closed press engagements.

Pool will helo behind.

Greeters

The President is met by-

Mayor Harry Sidhu
Mayor of Anaheim
Mayor R. Rex Parris
Mayor of Lancaster

Travel pool report #5: Santa Monica > motorcade

The helo ride to Santa Monica was a quick and slightly vertiginous four minutes over the concrete and palms of Los Angeles.

Marine One taxied toward the motorcade at 4:54 pm, and the Beast rolled up to collect POTUS shortly after. We are rolling momentarily.

Travel pool report #6: Venue arrival

The ride to the venue was dotted with supporters who waved and protestors who did not wave, including a man who held up a sign reading "ROTTEN ORANGE." A few miles down the road, another held a sign that said "JAIL TRUMP."

The local journalists with us marveled at the sight of an empty freeway at 5 pm in Los Angeles.

As we pulled in at 519 pm there were two groups of dueling supporters and protesters: "USA USA USA" and "Four more years" vs. "LOCK HIM UP."

Travel pool report #7: Olympics committee event

We went right into the event at 5:23 pm where POTUS was waiting.

He claimed he was called by the committee as president-elect and asked to make a call because the Obama administration had never made a call.

"They were starving for love, and we gave them the love," he said of committee trying to get an Olympics in USA. (It will be in LA in 2028.)

"I hope you remember me in 2028. You promise, Casey?" he asked the 2028 committee chairman. The chairman said he promised.

POTUS then signed a document he said was the federal government's "total support" of Los Angeles for the games. "It's a big deal, huh? Big deal."

Chad Wolf spoke briefly: "The federal government and its partners stand ready to protect the 2028 Olympics."

Casey Wasserman, the 2028 committee chair, praised the president's leadership.

He asked Lindsey Graham, sitting next to Jared Kushner at the table, to speak: "I don't think I will be participating, but I will be watching."

Then Kevin McCarthy, who said he loved his state "a lot."

POTUS then took some shouted questions:

He said he had been invited to Tokyo for 2020 games. Said PM Abe invited him, was considering it.

He was asked about LA's homeless situation: "We're really taking a role in it. I see it, I see what's happening to LA, I see what's happening to San Francisco, I see what's happening to some great cities ... you have needles, you have things that we don't want to discuss all over the streets."

Says sanctuary cities are "very dangerous" and LA, San Fran had one thing in common: "the leadership. There's no reason this should've happened," about rising homelessness.

He thanked a local reporter for asking him nice questions, including one that praised his "master" showmanship. "Every once in awhile it happens."

Event concluded at 5:34 pm. We are now holding.

Background from WH:

Today, President Donald J. Trump will receive a briefing from the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Los Angles 2028 Organizers.

The following individuals are expected to attend:

The White House
President Donald J. Trump
Jared Kushner, Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor
Daniel Scavino, Assistant to the President and Director of Social Media

Trump Administration
Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Department of the Treasury
Acting Secretary Chad Wolf, Department of Homeland Security

Members of Congress
Senator Lindsey Graham, South Carolina
Representative Kevin McCarthy, House Minority Leader, California's 23rd

External Participants
Casey Wasserman, Chairman, Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Committee
Sarah Hirshland, CEO, United States Olympic Committee
John Harper, COO, Los Angeles 2028
Danny Koblin, Commercial COO, Los Angeles 2028
Dean Christopher, Senior Advisor for Finance, Los Angeles 2028
Doug Arnot, Senior Advisor for Games Operations, Los Angeles 2028

Travel pool report #8: Info on tonight's fundraiser

From Judd Deere: "The President will participate in a fundraiser this evening at Montage Beverly Hills for Trump Victory, a joint fundraising committee authorized by and composed of Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. and the Republican National Committee."

Travel pool report #9: Leaving fundraiser venue

Motorcade is rolling for Santa Monica Airport at 7:48 pm. We did not see POTUS exit the Montage. We heard supporters chant "Four More Years" before departing.

Travel pool report #10: Santa Monica > LAX

We did not see POTUS board Marine One. Our helos are lifting shortly at 806 pm.

Travel pool report #11: LAX to Vegas

After a short ride Marine One taxied to Air Force One at 8:20 pm. POTUS disembarked and strolled to AF1. He flashed a thumbs up but did not stop for questions before boarding.

We are wheels up shortly at 824 pm for Las Vegas, where POTUS is RON'ing. There is a Trump International hotel in Vegas.

Travel pool report #12: Vegas arrival

AF1 landed in Vegas at 920 pm. POTUS disembarked at 934 pm, waving to a small but loud group of supporters who started chanting "USA USA USA."

He climbed into the Beast at 935. Rolling.

Travel pool report #13: RON arrival & lid

Motorcade pulled up to Trump International at 9:52 pm. We did not see POTUS exit the Beast. We have a lid.