Pool Reports of February 9, 2024

Pool Report 3/Gathered

The pool has gathered for President Biden's Oval spray with the German chancellor.

Pool Report 4/Oval

The pool entered the Oval Office at 3:12.

President Biden called on Congress to pass more funding for Ukraine and mentioned the Mideast conflict in about two minutes of opening remark in which he referred to the German chancellor as "Olaf."

Scholz, in English, attacked Vladimir Putin for his "ridiculous interview" about Ukraine, seemingly a reference to Tucker Carlson's.

Biden then said the House GOP resisting Ukraine spending was "close to criminal" and "outrageous."

He ignored many questions about the special counsel report as reporters were escorted out at 3:17.

Pool Report 5/Participants

The White House shares the following:

The President is participating in a bilateral meeting with Chancellor Olaf Scholz of the Federal Republic of Germany:

U.S. Manifest
The President
T.H. Antony Blinken, Secretary of State
T.H. Janet Yellen, Secretary of the Treasury
T.H. Jake Sullivan, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs
T.H. Amy Gutmann, Ambassador of the United States to the Federal Republic of Germany
T.H. Jim O'Brien, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs
T.H. Christina Segal-Knowles, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Director for International Economics, National Security Council
Mr. Andrew Johnson, Acting Senior Director for Europe, National Security Council

Germany Manifest
H.E. Olaf Scholz, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany
Dr. Hans Jörg Kukies, Secretary of State, Federal Chancellery
Mr. Steffen Hebestreit, Secretary of State, Federal Chancellery, and Spokesperson of the Federal Government
Mr. Jens Plötner, Foreign and Security Policy Advisor to the Federal Chancellor, Federal Chancellery
H.E. Andreas Michaelis, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to the United States
Dr. Steffen Meyer, Economic and Fiscal Policy Advisor to the Federal Chancellor, Federal Chancellery
Dr. Young-Chi Lehnardt, Deputy Head of the Office of the Chancellor, Federal Chancellery
Mr. Alexander Eberl, Head of Division, Federal Chancellery

Pool Report 6/Gather

The press has gathered for President Biden's Marine One departure.

Pool Report 7/Departure

President Biden stepped out of the Oval Office at 5:31 and ignored shouted questions as he walked to Marine One, which lifted off at 5:36 en route to Delaware.

Foreign pool report #1 / Background on German Chancellor Olaf Scholz' visit

Guten Tag,

I am your foreign pooler for Chancellor Scholz' visit at the White House today. The bilateral meeting of President Biden and Chancellor Scholz is scheduled for 3pm. Please let me know if you have any questions.

The meeting is framed as a "working visit". The bilat is scheduled to last about an hour. There will be no press conference afterwards, just an in-house pool spray at the top in the Oval Office.

After his arrival Thursday afternoon, the Chancellor met US Senators from both side of the aisle at a dinner in the residence of the German Ambassador. In attendance according to the German Embassy: on the Democratic side Chris Coons, Chris Murphy, Jack Reed, and Jeanne Shaheen, on the Republican side Jim Risch, Lindsay Graham, Dan Sullivan and Roger Wicker. On Friday morning, Chancellor Scholz had breakfast with U.S. business executives where he – according to a government official – planned to deliver the message „Germany is open for business".

Meetings/phone calls:
This is the third visit of Chancellor Scholz since he was sworn in December 2021. His first visit was at the beginning of February last year, roughly two weeks before Russia' invaded Ukraine, the second time on March 3, 2023. Scholz has met President Biden six times since he became Chancellor. The last time was in July 2023 in Vilnius/Lithuania at the Nato summit. In June 2022, Scholz hosted Biden at the G7 summit in Elmau/Bavaria. Documented by the German government are also 17 phone talks, seven bilateral and ten with other heads of states and governments.

Priorities for bilat:
The German government emphasizes that the "personal exchange" between the two leaders and "close transatlantic coordination" is central.

The war in Ukraine will dominate the bilat as will the escalating conflict in the Middle East and the upcoming Nato summit in Washington DC in July which will mark its 75th anniversary. Germany has announced to reach Nato's goal of two percent of gross domestic product for defense "by the end of this year" – as part of the "Zeitenwende", the new era for Germany, which Scholz declared two years ago. Germany has committed to strengthen Nato's eastern flank against Russia by promising to permanently station a brigade in Lithuania by 2027.

On Wednesday, the "Wall Street Journal" published an Op-Ed written by the Chancellor in which he warned that a Russian victory "would not only be the end of Ukraine as a free, democratic and independent state, it would also dramatically change the face of Europe. It would deal a severe blow to the liberal world order".

His visit comes after the leaders of the European Union last week agreed to provide Ukraine with €50 billion in support for its economy and while the US Congress is struggling to agree on further wartime aid for Ukraine.

Before his departure, Scholz emphasized in a statement: "What has been pledged so far in Europe and what has been pledged by decisions of the American Congress isn't yet enough. So, we must achieve a way for all of us together to do more." And he added: The message in the coming weeks needs to be that Western support "will last long enough and be big enough".

On Friday morning in Washington, Scholz commented in front of reporters on his meeting with the US Senators: He said that he is "confident" that a decision in Congress on further military aid for Ukraine will be made soon. "This is an important and clear message to the Russian President." He added: "I want to help very much to ensure that we make such a decision (...) I also want to help us to make it clear together that Putin cannot rely on our support for Ukraine waning."

Another topic of interest for Germany are the possible consequences of the announced pause on all pending export permits for liquified natural gas (LNG) that President Biden announced a couple of days ago. Since Germany no longer receives pipeline gas from Russia, the US has become its top provider for natural gas. Europe received about half of its LNG imports from the US last year.

Germany's engagement in Ukraine:
Germany is the second largest donor to Ukraine after the US and the largest military donor in the EU. Since the start of Russia's war of aggression, Germany has delivered or pledged military equipment worth more than $30 billion according to the Chancellor. As he further points out, this has come on top of Germany's nonmilitary support, including welcoming over one million Ukrainian refugees, and what the country contributes as part of the EU's support. For 2024, Germany has pledged more than $7.5 billion for weapons deliveries to Ukraine.

To date, German military support to Ukraine includes: 18 main battle tanks Leopard 2 as part of joint initiative with partners to equip two battalions with Leopard 2 battle tanks. Together with its partners, Germany also promised to deliver more than 100 Leopard 1 battle tanks over the coming months, with 30 having already been handed over. Already delivered were also 90 infantry fighting vehicles Marder (10 more are supposed to follow); 3 Iris-T SLM air defense systems (nine more to follow, and additional 12 Iris-T SLS), two Patriot air defense systems, and 52 Gepard air defense tanks. 14 self-propelled howitzers (PzH 2000) and five rocket launcher systems (Mars II). Germany also pledged to deliver around 300,000 rounds of ammunition for the Gepard air defense tanks.

Until now, Scholz is blocking the delivery of long-range Taurus missiles over fears that the move will draw Germany into the war. As does Biden, Scholz also opposes setting a timetable for Ukraine's eventual entry into the Nato alliance.

Bio:
Olaf Scholz is 65 years old and the ninth Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany. A longtime member of Germany's center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD), Scholz served as Federal Minister of Finance and Vice-Chancellor in the "grand coalition" government of Angela Merkel (2018–21) before succeeding her as chancellor. Scholz was born in the German city of Osnabrück in 1958, grew up in Hamburg and is married. In 1985, he completed his law degree at the University of Hamburg. He has served in various positions within his party. He was a member of the German Bundestag from 1998 to 2001 and from 2002 to 2011. In 2007, Scholz became Federal Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, a position he held until 2009. Following this, he was appointed deputy chair of the SPD parliamentary group. From 2011 to 2018, he served as Mayor of Hamburg. From February until April 2018, he was acting chair of the SPD.

Scholz is married to Britta Ernst, 62, a social economist and also a member of the SPD who served until last year as education minister of the east German state of Brandenburg.

Foreign pool report #2 / Oval Office quotes

Pool entered the Oval Office at 3:12pm. Potus and Chancellor Scholz were already seated next to the (very active) fireplace. They spoke in English for less than five minutes. Pool left at 3:17pm. It was hard to hear. They didn't take questions.

After Potus welcomed the Chancellor back and spoke for two minutes, Scholz thanked the President for continuing the conversation. The Chancellor said: "Germany and the US have to play a role to keep peace in the world." He added: "This is especially so looking at the Russian aggression against Ukraine, which is still ongoing".

He then mentioned "the ridiculous interview" the Russian President Wladimir Putin gave to Tucker Carlson in which Putin is "always telling a lot of lies about the history of this war". The Russian President only "wants to get part of the territory of its neighbors". He called this behavior "imperialism. Therefore, it would be "necessary that we do all our best to support Ukraine and to give them the chance to defend the country".

Scholz. "And so, I'm very happy that in Europe, we made now decisions to give the necessary financial support to the budget. Also, that Germany was ready to increase its support with weapons delivery.

He expressed the hope, that the House of Representatives "will follow you and make te decision on giving the necessary support. Because without the support of United States and without the support of European states, Ukraine has not a chance to defend its own country.

On the Middle East, Scholz said: "I really think that it's worthy that we are working together looking at the situation in the Middle East and especially working on a two-state solution, which is necessary for lasting peace. And I'm sure that the United States and Germany are aligned intensely."

Potus added: "We are." And then he said: "The failure of the United States Congress if it occurred, not to support Ukraine is close to criminal neglect. It is outrageous."

Foreign pool report #3 / Quotes from Chancellor Scholz after bilat

Chancellor Scholz came out to Lafayette Square at 4:50pm and spoke to the German press after he finished his meeting with Potus. He emphasized the importance of the transatlantic relationship in times of great challenges. He called the war in Ukraine the biggest crisis "with all its consequences for security and peace not only in Europe but everywhere in the world".

Russia's rejection of the understanding that borders must not be moved by force is a threat to peace and security. And that is why it is right and necessary for us to take all the necessary decisions right now to support Ukraine in defending its own country.

With regards to the ongoing discussions in Congress, Scholz said: "The President is very clear, and we agree: if we fail to get a decision in the US Congress that releases funds for further support to Ukraine, then this is a threat to Ukraine's ability to do so to defend country. That is why we are both firmly convinced that this must happen now, but also confident that the American Congress will ultimately make such a decision."

Scholz: "That is also the right message to the Russian president that his hope is in vain, that he simply has to wait long enough for the willingness to support Ukraine's friends in Europe and North America and elsewhere to wane." Ukraine can continue to count on the necessary support.

About the Middle East, Scholz stressed that the US and Germany "stand with Israel in its right to defend its own country." But he also said that both countries agree that "the conduct of warfare must meet its own standards", and humanitarian aid must reach Gaza – "on a much larger scale than is the case today". Scholz added: "That's why we need to discuss perspectives and the future now. There must be a two-state solution."

Foreign pool report #4 / One last quote of Scholz

On the question what would happen if Congress would not release the money, Chancellor Scholz answered: "We shouldn't talk around it: support from the United States is essential to the question of whether Ukraine will be able to defend its own country."

That was it from me. Have a great rest of the day. Tschüss!

WH out of town pool #1 - POTUS arrives at DANG

POTUS arrived at the Delaware Air National Guard base via Marine 1 at 6:22

POTUS emerged from M1 at 6:27 and got into the Beast.

His motorcade began rolling at 6:28

POTUS is heading to his Wilmington home.

From the WH

Traveling with the President aboard Marine One en route to Delaware Air National Guard Base:

Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
Marc Gustafson, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Director for the White House Situation Room

WH out of town pool #2 - lid

The motorcade dropped POTUS at his Wilmington home at 6:41 pm

The ride was uneventful.

The WH called a lid at 6:41 pm

*

The WH sends the names of the following people who met POTUS at DANG.

Greeting the President upon arrival at Delaware Air National Guard Base:

Colonel Jeremy Meartz, Commander, 166th Mission Support Group, 166th Airlift Wing