Pool Reports of February 21, 2025

White House Pool Report No. 1 - quick Karoline Leavitt Q&A

Good morning from the White House where it's a frigid 30 degrees but sunny. I'll be your print pooler today. 

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt took a few questions in the driveway from NBC's Peter Alexander where they sparred over the administration's DOGE cuts.

Audio here:

https://otter.ai/u/kfNp3nzKj9cs87obNRxe9TIc7g0

White House Pool Report No. 2 - governors event opened to pool

The White House has informed us that President Trump's 11 a.m. speech to the governors will now be open to the pool.

White House Pool Report No. 3 - gathering

The pool is gathering for the governors event.

White House Pool Report No. 4 - spotted attendees

The pool entered the State Dining Room at 11 a.m. 

We entered to Cabinet members and governors mingling or sitting down at tables. The president has yet to arrive. 

Pool spotted:
Democrats - Josh Shapiro, Wes Moore, Beshear, Evers, Murphy, Healy, Meyer, Kelly, Hochul, Polis 

Republicans - Kemp, DeWine, Ayotte, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Mark Gordon, Reynolds, DeSantis, Reeves, Braun

Admin - RFK Jr., Burgum, Tulsi Gabbard, Brooke Rollins, Rubio, Bondi, Bessent, Zeldin 

The AP's reporter and photographer were again not let into this pooled event. 

More TK

White House Pool Report No. 5 - event begins

President Trump entered after a long pause at 11:24 a.m.

He shook hands and congratulated some attendees on his way in, making the crowd laugh, but with the joke inaudible. 

"This is a nice friendly group," he began, adding that he has the "highest poll numbers I've ever had."

Kicks off the program by talking about Ukraine/Russia

"I've had very good talks with Putin" and "not such good talks with Ukraine." 

He made a quip about how Ukraine talks "tough" - but doesn't have a lot of bargaining chips. 

Will get you full quote when this wraps.

Pooler also spotted VA Secretary Doug Collins, Kelly Loeffler and HUD Secretary Scott Turner.

Event is ongoing - more TK

White House Pool Report No. 6 - more from governors

Trump moved onto disaster relief, saying he was working well with North Carolina's new Gov. Josh Stein, who's also here.

Reiterated he wanted disaster relief moved back to the states complimenting DeSantis and McMaster, among others.

He's complimenting people around the room - 

Said he was "a little nervous" about Rubio, due to his high bipartisan support. 

"How about Hamas yesterday with the babies? Are we going to continue to take that? I don't think so," Trump also commented. 

"It's a very dangerous journey," Trump said of Bessent going to Ukraine, with Bessent saying it's a 10-hour train journey. 

"I like him, if I didn't like him I'd suggest he go," Trump added. 

Quotes are rough.

White House Pool Report No. 7 - even more

Trump name-dropped Chris Wright, Secretary of Energy, and segued to energy and Venezuela.

And then Brooke Rollins.

"She's going to do something with the eggs," Trump said. "We inherited all the problems."

"But the big things we can blame other people for," he said and segued to immigration.

"Nobody knows this particular gentleman, he sailed right through," Trump joked. "Where is Bobby? Where is Bobby?"

Kennedy is seated next to Tulsi Gabbard at a front table. 

Trump brought up autism and higher American rates.

"Maybe it's a spray that we spray all over the place that nobody else does," Trump mused.

He complimented Doug Collins' beautiful voice and did an impression of the former congressman questioning Mueller. 

"This was not a good day for them but it was a good day for justice," Trump remarked.

Trump said Apple's Tim Cook visited him at the White House yesterday - and planned to invest. I'll grab full quote after.

Event is ongoing - more to come. 

Here's the Otter - 

https://otter.ai/u/E9uO_8DDFtVXEmEXsajNQ-NAhso

White House Pool Report No. 8 - more governors - gangs/tariffs/DOGE/voting

Trump commended Russell Vought and then moved on to Tulsi Gabbard, saying he hadn't seen a lot of her yet and "have fun."

He commented on her sitting next to RFK Jr. since they both went through a lot - to get confirmed. 

Trump again spoke about immigration and taking on the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua in Colorado: 
"They're like me, they're in the real estate business. They just take over," Trump said, noting how a man who tried to go against them got his fingers cut off. 

Spoke about how he wants power plants to be built alongside AI production facilities and attacked wind energy.

Trump said "probably" 25 percent tariffs on foreign cars to start April 2 - due to him not wanting to make the announcement on April Fools' Day. 

"It's going to cost a lot of money to wait one day," he joked. 

He read off DOGE projects - many of the ones he's mentioned before.

"Condoms: $100 million for Hamas," he again claimed.

The president also went through the fraudulent Social Security claims and handed the papers to Bondi.

He again said he, Elon and the DOGERS are going to Fort Knox.

"Wouldn't that be disappointing? ...You want to go with us Ron?" he asked, inviting all interested governors to join. 

Also talked about how COVID impacted his 2020 election chances. 

"If you went to paper ballots in your voting," he suggested, saying that at least the Republicans should be supported.

Also said they should back voter ID, voters needing proof of citizenship and one day of voting - or at least condensing early voting to two or three days.

"Computers are not meant for voting," Trump said Elon told him. 

Event is ongoing ... 

White House Pool Report No. 9 - tussle with Janet Mills

President Trump and Democratic Maine Gov. Janet Mills got in a brief row over trans women in sports.

"You better do it because you're not going to get federal funding," Trump said.

"We're going to follow the law sir. We'll see you in court," she said.

"Enjoy your life after governor because I don't think you'll be an elected official afterwards," Trump said.

Happened around the 58-minute mark if you're followed along on the Otter.

White House Pool Report No. 10 - governor Q&A

"Call me at anytime, I will take your call ... I will put the Democrat first, I promise," Trump said 64 minutes in, as he started to wrap.

Opened it up to Q&A - Jared Polis first - commented on disaster response 
Josh Green 
Mike Braun 
Henry McMaster - fentanyl 

Trump says they're going to release "horrible commercials" discouraging drug use. 

"I think you should really put out strong ads too. ... your states have the right to do death penalty also for drugs."

Then Gianforte and Jim Pillen spoke.

The room then stood for Trump, with most of the attendees clapping. 

Trump wrapped remarks at 12:39 p.m. 

He ignored shouts from ABC's Mary Bruce on the IRS and whether tax season will go smoothly. 

He departed at 12:40 p.m.

White House Pool Report No. 11 - better quotes/lunch lid until 1:30 p.m.

The White House has called a lunch lid until 1:30 p.m.

Here's the better version of this quote -

"I've had very good talks with Putin and had not such good talks with Ukraine. They don't have any cards but they play it tough."

And then the Apple comment –

"Yesterday I had Tim Cook in the office from Apple. He's invested hundreds of billions of dollars. I hope he's announced it. I hope he was telling the truth. That's what he told me. Now he has to do it … but he's investing hundreds of billions of dollars."

Resending the Otter link - https://otter.ai/u/E9uO_8DDFtVXEmEXsajNQ-NAhso?utm_source=copy_url

White House Pool Report No. 12 - gathering 

We're gathering for the Oval.

White House Pool Report No. 13 - Lutnick swearing-in

Pool entered at 3:50 p.m. 

J.D. Vance is standing alongside POTUS and Howard Lutnick. 

Trump started by telling Lutnick's 9/11 story, how he wasn't in the North Tower because he was taking Kyle - now grown and in the Oval - to school.

"You should leave him more than the other kids," Trump joked. 

Trump also teased Lutnick for spending some time as a Democrat.

Lutnick started speaking at 3:58 p.m.

"The press has no idea who the gentleman to my left is. They portray him in all sorts of ways, but I know him as the smartest, most thoughtful and most intuitive person I've ever met, and it is really it's amazing to be in this room and to work for him."

"I have to my right, my friend JD Vance, who was kind enough to introduce me to the Senate, and he gave me the greatest compliment, he called me a good dude," he said.

"We can take care of everyone and give them their Medicaid, but we're going to get rid of so much waste, fraud and abuse," Lutnick also said. 

At 4:01 p.m. Trump signed the commission to make Lutnick Commerce Secretary. He sat down at the new desk, explaining the Resolute Desk was getting "renovated and refurbished." 

"It will be back in four weeks," Trump said.

Vance then performed the swearing-in.

He took questions. 

First on Postal Service.

Second on DOGE firings. 

"No wonder" Trump told ABC's Mary Bruce after she asked about Americans upset about the DOGE firings and was asked by Trump to ID her employer. 

Third on EU.

Fourth on whether Putin is also a dictator. 

"I think that President Putin and President Zelensky have to get together ..." 

This is ongoing. 

The Gulf of America sign is still on display. 

Otter here - 

https://otter.ai/u/PSRvUmh-CVS62qhp9szK17sv5IE

White House Pool Report No. 14 - Moscow answer 

"No, no I'm not," Trump said about reports saying he's going to Moscow.

White House Pool Report No. 15 - more Q&A 

He said he was signing an EO later today on tariffs on digital taxes. 

"He's going to look at it," Trump answered when asked of Lutnick would take over the Postal Service:

"I wish them luck," Trump said to a question on German elections. "We've got our own problems." 

4:14 p.m. we exited. 

More TK

White House Pool Report No. 16 - EO signing is closed press

The White House has confirmed that the signing of EOs today will remain closed press.

White House Pool Report No. 17 - lid

The White House called a travel/photo lid at 7:01 p.m.

Have a great weekend!

Supplemental pool report #1 - Inside EEOB

The pool is inside the Indian Treaty Room at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building for the swearing-in ceremony of Kash Patel as the new FBI Director.

Will send notes once the ceremony gets underway.

Supplemental pool report #2 - Patel sworn in

Attorney General Pam Bondi and Kash Patel entered at 4:51 p.m. to applause from a crowd of about seven dozen people.

The oath of office began at 4:52 p.m. and ended at 4:53 p.m. Patel's girlfriend and family stood beside him as he recited the oath, and other family members were seated in the front row. 

Also spotted in the room: Senator Tommy Tuberville, Senator Ted Cruz, Congressman Jim Jordan, special missions envoy Richard Grenell and NSC counterterrorism senior director Sebastian Gorka.