Pool Reports of February 18, 2025

Travel pool report #1 - Motorcade rolling

Good morning from Palm Beach. The presidential motorcade is rolling out of Mar-a-Lago at 9:40 am. It's a partly cloudy day. The current temperature is 74 degrees.

Travel pool report #2 - Motorcade arrives at Trump International

The presidential motorcade arrived at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach at 9:47 am. There were three officers from the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office on horses in front of the sign at the club entrance. They were wearing cowboy hats and dark shirts with "sheriff" on the sleeve. Pool is holding at a nearby location.

Travel pool report #3 - EO signing covered by "expanded" pool

The president's executive order signing, currently scheduled for 4 p.m., will be covered by an "expanded" travel pool, according to updated guidance from the administration.

Travel pool report #4 - Motorcade departs golf club

POTUS left Trump International Golf Club at 1:39 pm.

Travel pool report #5 - back at MAL

Pool vans arrived back at Mar-a-Lago at 2:02 pm. The pool was not directly behind the presidential motorcade, which left Trump International Golf Club a few minutes before the pool vans. Pool did not see the presidential motorcade arrive at Mar-a-Lago, but presidential staff confirmed the motorcade arrived before pool.

Travel pool report #6 - Waiting inside MAL

Pool entered Mar-a-Lago and is waiting for the EO signing to begin in the living room. A small wooden desk is setup with the presidential seal. White House staff says the event will be carried live.

Travel pool report #7 - 2 minute warning

The EO signing will begin in 2 minutes

Travel pool report #8 - EO signing begins

POTUS entered the Mar-a-Lago living room at 4:12 pm for the EO signing.

The signing is being carried live on the White House YouTube channel

Travel pool report #8 - Trump IVF EO

POTUS starts out talking about DOGE, saying it is uncovering "waste." He says he just signed three EOs, including one on the affordability and availability of IVF and other fertility treatments.

Travel pool report #9 - Ukraine war talks

POTUS asked about the talks today between administration officials and Russian representatives over ending the war in Ukraine. 

He says he's "Much more confident" in a deal after the talks and says the talks were "very good."

More TK

Travel pool report #10 - Q&A ends

POTUS ended the Q&A session with the expanded pool at 4:49 pm. It lasted 37 minutes, including EO comments. He discussed the war in Ukraine, Elon Musk and DOGE, Venezuela, probationary federal employee firings and other topics. Extended quotes coming.\

Spotted before the event

White House Communications Director Steven Cheung
White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles
White House Staff Secretary Will Scharf
Counselor to the President Alina Habba

Travel pool report #11 - lid

Lid called at 5:24 pm

Travel pool report #12 - Quotes, summary and link to livestream

Here are a few quotes from the Q&A today at Mar-a-Lago. Watch it here at the White House YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4_oK1KBw7Q

POTUS took questions on tariffs, diplomatic talks to end the war in Ukraine, the possibility of removing U.S. troops from Europe as part of a Ukraine peace deal, stationing European peacekeeping troops in Ukraine as part of a peace deal, Ukraine not being involved in initial peace talks, the Associated Press, Ukraine elections, Elon Musk, mass terminations of federal employees, U.S. policy toward Venezuela and other issues.

Question: Have you decided specifically what the auto tariff rate should be?
POTUS: "It'll be in the neighborhood of 25%"

Question: What about (tariffs on) semiconductors and pharmaceuticals?
POTUS: "It'll be 25% and higher and it'll go very substantially higher over course of a year"

Question: Could you tell us a little bit more about the Russia talks, your impression of how they went today and if you're perhaps more confidant or less confidant of a deal after what happened today?
POTUS: "Much more confidant. They were very good."

Question: As part of the peace deal with Putin would you be willing to consider removing all American troops from Europe?
POTUS: "Well, nobody's asked me to do that so I don't think we'd have to do that, I wouldn't want to do that. But that question's never really come up."

Question: We're hearing that Russia wants to force Ukraine to hold new elections in order to sign any kind of a peace deal. Is that something that the U.S. would ever support?
POTUS: "Well, we have a situation where we haven't had elections in Ukraine. Where we have martial law, essentially martial law, in Ukraine. Where the leader in Ukraine, I mean I hate to say it, but he's down at 4% approval rating."
POTUS added later: "Yeah, I would say that, you know, when they want a seat at the table you could say the people have to, wouldn't the people of Ukraine have to say, like, you know it's been a long time since we've had an election? That's not a Russia thing. That's something coming from me and coming from many other countries also."