Pool Reports of February 6, 2025

In-Town Pool Report #1: White House Departure

Motorcade departed White House at 8:02AM.

The president is slated to address the National Prayer Breakfast inside Statuary Hall at 8:15AM.

In-Town Pool Report #2: Arrival At Capitol

Motorcade arrived at the U.S. Capitol at 8:05AM.

Pool is stationed in the balcony. Lawmakers are assembled below in Statuary Hall.

Program is ongoing, and Senate Majority Leader Thune is now reading from 1 Corinthians 13.

In-Town Pool Report #3: Remarks Begin

President Trump arrived in Statuary Hall at 8:19AM to healthy applause.

"We have to bring religion back," Trump said at top. Remarks are ongoing.

Majority Leader Thune, who read from Corinthians earlier in the program, is seated in the front row next to Speaker Mike Johnson.

Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar read Psalm 23:4. And New Hampshire Sen. Maggie Hassan introduced the Marine Corps Band who sang "Be Thou My Vision."

In-Town Pool Report #4: Remarks Conclude

Remarks concluded at 8:43AM. Pool returned to motorcade now parked in front of US Capitol.

Trump cited his revived EO for a National Garden of American Heroes, praised the memory of Billy Graham, mourned those lost in the DCA crash, recalled the attempt on his life, called for a new air traffic control system, made an appeal to bipartisanship, and discussed the importance of religion.

The president mourned the DCA disaster: "As one nation, we take solace in the knowledge that their journey ended not in the cold waters of the Potomac, but in the warm embrace of a loving God."

Trump recalled the first attempt on his life, citing divine intervention. "God did that," he said of the moment he turned his head to look at his favorite chart thus missing the bullet.

Joked the president of that assassination attempt, "it didn't affect my hair." The lawmakers laughed.

Trump called for a new air traffic control system saying, "let's spend less money and build a great system."

He recalled COVID and how "people couldn't go to Church for a very long time" but added that "it is starting to come back."

Trump celebrated that the army had the best recruitment numbers they've had in 15 years.

He said bipartisanship is "doable" citing some of his Cabinet nominees who received Democratic votes in the Senate. He said unity is possible: "You did it with Marco Rubio."

In-Town Pool Report #5: U.S. Capitol Departure

Motorcade departed the U.S. Capitol at 8:54. The president is slated to make remarks at the Washington Hilton at 9:15.

In-Town Pool Report #6: Arrival at Hilton

Motorcade arrived at Washington Hilton 9:10. Pool is now set up at a table in the ballroom to the right of the stage. Program is ongoing.

In-Town Pool Report #7: Remarks At Hilton Ongoing

The ballroom inside the Washington Hilton is packed from front to back. President Trump began speaking at 9:21. He received a warm welcome.

"This is a beautiful tradition," he said. His staff told him, he recalled, "I could do it via Skype." He tells the crowd he scoffed, "I've been there every year!" He later quips that "it's nice once again to have a president who shows up at the prayer breakfast."

Rev. Paula White introduced President Trump as "the people's president," and "the greatest champion, of any president that has ever been, of religion."

In-Town Pool Report #8: EOs On Religion Liberty/'Anti-Christian Bias'

The remarks are ongoing and livestreamed.

Presidential Commission on Religion: Trump said, "I will be creating a brand-new presidential commission on religious liberty. It's going to be a very big deal." He condemned the conviction of elderly, pro-life activist Paulette Harlow under the previous administration whom he recently pardoned. Harlow is present, and Trump quipped, "you enjoy your life."

Executive Order on 'Anti-Christian Bias': Trump said he would sign an EO ordering Attorney General Pam Bondi "to eradicate anti-Christian bias" inside the federal government.

New Faith Office: He said he will create a faith office in the White House and announced that it will be led by Rev. Paula White.

Reflecting on the failed attempt on his life, the president said, "it was God who saved me." At this, Trump received a standing ovation.

"As the Bible says, blessed are the peacemakers," Trump told the crowd earlier, "and in the end, I hope my greatest legacy when it is all finished will be as a peacemaker and a unifier. I hope that's going to be true. "

In-Town Pool Report #9: Hilton Remarks Conclude

The president promised to return to the prayer breakfast next year and concluded his remarks at 9:54. Pool is now holding in the motorcade.

In-Town Pool Report #10: Motorcade Rolling

Motorcade departed the Hilton at 10:05.

In-Town Pool Report #11: Return to White House

Motorcade rolled to a stop at the White House at 10:15.

In-Town Pool Report #12: Tom Homan Gaggle

Border Czar Tom Homan stopped briefly at the sticks to gaggle after a Fox News interview.

He said a raid targeting the Venezuelan gang, Tren De Aragua, was leaked and vowed to hold responsible the leakers. "This isn't a game," he told reporters. "When operations get leaked like that, it puts our officers at great risk."

"We know that TDA [Tren De Aragua] is dangerous," Homan continued. "Everybody can agree to that, but when they get a heads up that we are coming, it's only a matter of time before our officers are ambushed. Their job is dangerous enough. So we are going to address this very seriously."

Homan indicated that media access to ICE may be limited if leaks continue:

"Look, I said from Day One, we want to be transparent with the American people. We've invited numerous media outlets along, but right now it's all about operational security. So we may have to stop the media ride-alongs because--I'm not pointing the finger at them--but the less people that know about these operations the safer it is for our agents."

Homan said he has heard reports that some who were arrested were later released and vowed to investigate further:

"I was made aware of that this morning, and I will address that today, but I've been told that some were released because of some health concerns that we could not handle within ICE detention. So I have a meeting with ICE leadership today to find out exactly who was released and why, but the president made it clear we're ending catch-and-release."

Asked if ICE needs to do more, he replied, "they're doing a great job, but they've got to do more."

Asked about arrest numbers, Homan said leaks hinder initial arrests of criminals but then vowed that once "the aperture opens up beyond criminals," the numbers will climb higher:

"When you leak an operation it means more bad guys are not being arrested, which means more bad guys are walking the streets. So as we address that, you're gonna see the arrests increase. As the aperture opens up beyond criminals, you're going to see more arrests. I've made it clear that if you're in the country illegally, you're not off the table."

In-Town Pool Report #13: Karoline Leavitt Gaggle

Karoline Leavitt stopped to gaggle briefly with reporters in the White House driveway. The press secretary reported that President Trump is still in his meeting with Congressional leaders. They are discussing tax priorities.

On the number of federal employees who have accepted the buyout:

"Well, the last time I checked in with Office of Personnel and Management, there was more than 40,000 individuals, federal workers, who had accepted the buyout program. We expect that number to increase, and that alone, just the 40,000--again, we expect it to increase--it's going to save the American people tens of millions of dollars. And we encourage federal workers in this city to accept the very generous offer. If they don't want to show up to the office, if they want to rip the American people off, then they're welcome to take this buyout, and we'll find highly competent individuals who want to fill these roles," she said.

Asked about reports of layoffs after the buyout, Leavitt replied that she had not been part of those discussions before adding, "I'm not even sure if that's true. I can check."

Of the ongoing meeting, the press secretary said, "I understand the meeting is still ongoing…they're talking about the budget and priorities from this administration--tax priorities."

Asked for particulars about the aforementioned tax priorities, she produced a piece of printer paper, telling reporters, "I like to bring receipts."

"These are the tax priorities of the Trump administration," Leavitt told the gaggle, "that the president has laid out for members in that meeting today."

"No tax on chips, which is obviously a very public campaign promise that the president made," she said.

"No tax on Senior Social Security, no tax on overtime pay, renewing President Trump's 2017 middle class tax cuts," she continued before adding, "again, these are the President's priorities: adjusting the salt cap, eliminate all the special tax breaks for billionaire sports team owners, close the carried-interest tax deduction loophole, tax cuts for Made-in-America products."

"This will be the largest tax cut in history for middle-class working Americans. The president is committed to working with Congress to get this done," concluded Leavitt.

In-Town Pool Report #13B: Correction

The previous pool report erroneously stated that Karoline Leavitt said "no tax on chips." This is obviously incorrect. The press secretary said instead, "no tax on tips." I regret the error.

In-Town Pool Report #14: Lunch Lid until 3:00

White House called a lunch lid until 3:00.

In-Town Pool Report #15: Travel/Photo Lid

White House called a lid at 6:02PM.