Pool Reports of January 13, 2020

Pool Report 1/Merkel Readout

Good morning from the White House. Judd Deere sends this:

"Yesterday, President Donald J. Trump spoke with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany. The two leaders discussed ongoing regional security matters in the Middle East and Libya and other bilateral issues."

Pool Report 2/Lunch Lid

We have a lunch lid until 2 p.m.

Pool Report 3/Departure Gather

Reporters are assembled on the South Lawn outside the White House residence for President Trump's departure. He is scheduled to board Marine One around 4:10.

Pool Report 4/brief remarks

President Trump exited the White House residence at 4:20. He spoke for only about one minute and his precise remarks were inaudible to your pooler. I will send quotes when I get them.

Trump spoke about the stock market, the college football game he is attending, and defended "totally consistent" comments on Soleimani.

At 4:26, Marine One was en route to Joint Base Andrews. The first lady is joining Trump on the trip to New Orleans.

Pool Report 5/Soleimani Quote

Departing the White House, President Trump took just one question, from John Roberts on the intelligence used to justify the Soleimani airstrike:

"Well, first of all, I think it's been totally consistent. But here's what's been consistent: We killed Soleimani, the number one terrorist in the world by every account. Bad person, killed a lot of Americans, killed a lot of people. We killed him. And when the Democrats try and defend him, it's a disgrace to our country. They can't do that. And let me tell you, it's not working politically very well for them. So we killed the number one terrorist in the world, Soleimani, and it should have been done 20 years ago. We'll see you at the game."

Trump opened his remarks saying:

"The stock market is way up, the country is doing really well, and we'll see you at the game."

In-town Pool Report 6/Arrival

Marine One landed on the South Lawn at 2:19, significantly later than scheduled due to additional time spent at the LSU-Clemson football game.

President Trump and the first lady held hands walking to the White House residence at 2:23. He waved but did not stop to talk.

Robert O'Brien and Lindsay Reynolds, chief of staff to Melania Trump, followed.

Travel Pool Report 1

At Joint Base Andrews

Marine One touched down at Joint Base Andrews at 4:36 p.m.

President Trump and Mrs. Trump stepped off the chopper and proceeded to the AF1 stairs. The president waved to reporters and gave a thumbs up. He waved from the top of the stairs.

Also spotted at Andrews: Stephanie Grisham and Hogan Gidley.

Rolling soon to New Orleans.

Travel Pool Report 2

Landing in New Orleans

Air Force One took off from Andrews at 4:49 p.m., Eastern time.

It landed in New Orleans at 6:03 p.m., Central time.

President Trump and Mrs. Trump descended the stairs at 6:16 p.m.

The pool spotted members of Congress, including Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott he f SC. Too dark to see others.

We are now rolling to the Superdome in downtown New Orleans.

Travel Pool Report 3

Arrival at Superdome

Motorcade arrived at the Superdome at 6:38 p.m.

A few fans at the main gate cheered the motorcade.

Heavy security throughout the complex.

We are now in a pool hold in the base of the stadium - the hold appears to be a post-game interview room.

We're awaiting national anthem.

Travel Pool Report 4

National anthem

Clemson and LSU fans gave President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump loud cheers as they walked onto the field at the Superdome at 7:07 p.m.

The Trumps waved and smiled as they walked toward an honor guard and stood at the 15-yard line. The president clapped at times.

The First Couple and the honor guard them walked from the 15- to the 40-yard for the singing of the National Anthem.

Parts of the crowd chanted "Four More Years!" Others chanted "U-S-A."

The president could be seen singing along with the anthem.

The First Couple entered the field from a tunnel near corner of one of end zones tunnel and walked to the 40-yard line for the playing of the National Anthem.

As he walked back to the tunnel, Trump could be seen saying "thank you."

Pool entered the field at 6:49 p.m., as the Clemson band played their fight song; we followed the Clemson Tiger mascot himself onto the stadium turf.

The stadium is packed, mostly with fans clad in orange (Clemson) or purple (LSU). Crowd appeared evenly split between the two teams.

Travel Pool Report 5/Trump likes "both" teams

Trump likes "both" teams

After the anthem, Karen Travers of ABC asked Trump which team he likes tonight. ("Who do you like tonight," she said)

"Both," Trump said, giving a smile and a thumbs up.

Travel Pool Report 6

The White House sent a list of greeters at the airport:

Airport greeters

The President is met by:

State Representative Ray Garofalo
State Representative from Louisiana's 103^rd State House District

Commissioner Mike Strain
Commissioner of the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry

Councilman Deano Bonano
Councilman from Jefferson Parish's 2^nd District

Councilman Ricky Templet
Councilman from Jefferson Parish's At-Large District

Travel Pool Report 7

Photo Opp

Pool was led from the pool hold back onto the field at 8:06 p.m., just below the president's section. The second quarter had just begun.

The president and his party are seated on an upper level of stands above the corner of the field, behind the LSU sideline.

It was hard to see the president from that far away, but photographers got plenty of shots.

After ten minutes or so, we were led back to hold.

Travel Pool Report 8

Pulling out from the Superdome

Motorcade left the Superdome area at 10:34 p.m., Central time.

Pool did not see POTUS, who apparently left at or near the end of the third quarter. LSU was leading Clemson 35-25 at the time the motorcade departed.

We are rolling back to airport.

Travel Pool Report 9

Back aboard Air Force One

Motorcade arrived at the airport at 10:54 p.m.

The Trumps quickly boarded.

With LSU now up 42-25 midway through the fourth quarter, AF1 is soon rolling back to Andrews.

Travel Pool 10

Jan. 14, 2020 (early morning)

Back at Andrews

Air Force One touched down at Joint Base Andrews at 1:51 a.m., Eastern time.

President Trump and Mrs. Trump then boarded Marine One, which took off at 2:06 a.m. for the White House.

It was an uneventful AF1 flight. The early part included the final minutes of LSU's 42-25 win over Clemson.

We had left New Orleans at 11:08 p.m., Central time.

Over and out.