Pool Reports of January 13, 2025

Pool report #1: Two-minute warning for briefing

Good afternoon,

At 12:25 p.m. the WH gave a two-minute warning for today's press briefing with KJP and Jake Sullivan.

Pool report #2: Briefing ends/Gather for POTUS departure to State Dept.

Today's press briefing with KJP and Jake Sullivan concluded at 1:17 p.m., at which point in-town pool were instructed to gather at the Palm Room Doors for the president's departure by motorcade to the State Department, where he is set to deliver remarks about the work of his administration to strengthen America and lead the world.

Pool report #3: Motorcade rolling

We left the South Lawn en route to the State Department at 1:55 p.m.

Pool report #4: traveling with POTUS to State Dept

From the WH:

Traveling with the President via motorcade en route to the State Department:

Jake Sullivan, Assistant to the President & National Security Advisor
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Mike Donilon, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President
Jon Finer, Assistant to the President & Principal Deputy National Security Advisor
Richard Ruffner, Assistant to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
Ryan Montoya, Assistant to the President & Director of Scheduling & Advance
Liz Sherwood-Randall, Assistant to the President & Homeland Security Advisor & Deputy National Security Advisor
John Kirby, Assistant to the President & National Security Communications Advisor
Ashley Williams, Deputy Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Strategic Outreach
Carlos Elizondo, Deputy Assistant to the President & Social Secretary
Curtis Ried, Deputy Assistant to the President & NSC Chief of Staff & Executive Secretary
Emilie Simons, Deputy Assistant to the President & Senior Deputy Press Secretary
Megan Rooney, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Presidential Speechwriter
Jacob Spreyer, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the President
Ben Solomon, Special Assistant to the President & Director of Advance

Pool report #5: Arrival at State

Motorcade arrived at State, where protestors were gathered outside. Pool was escorted to the Benjamin Franklin room around 2 p.m. ahead of the president's remarks

Pool report #6: Secretary Blinken gives remarks ahead of POTUS

Secretary Blinken delivered some remarks before the president took the podium.

He talked about the president's advice on the importance of investing in America's partnerships abroad and thanked him for his leadership and the work of teams at State, USAID, and across the federal government over the past four years

Pool report #7: Biden's remarks at State

Remarks concluded at 2:51 p.m. Otter recording here:

https://otter.ai/u/mTD9PBeL2lCtmA_8nVvIwoqnY7c

President Biden:

[Thanked Blinken, members of the cabinet, members of Congress, and all of our diplomats]

The United States is winning the worldwide competition. America is stronger, our alliances are stronger, our adversaries and competitors are weaker, and we did that without going to war

America is more capable and better prepared than we've been in a long, long time

Our sources of national power are far stronger than they were when we took office

AI, semiconductors [and other critical tech] in America is the envy of the world

500bn in private sector investments

Alliances are stronger than they've been in decades.

[more NATO allies investing more than 2% of their GDP]

We brokered a defense pact connecting Atlantic and Pacific allies as only America is able to do.

In the Red Sea we brought together 20+ countries to protect civilian ships attacked by Houthis

Overall, we've reinvigorated people's faith in the U.S. as a real partner

Since Russia's war in Ukraine began, I'm the only one who's stood in the center of Kyiv, not [Putin]

We rallied 50 nations to stand with Ukraine.

Now Russia is struggling to replace what they're losing on the battlefield

When Putin launched his invasion I had two

jobs: to rally the world to defend Ukraine and prevent a war between two nuclear powers

Iran directly attacked Israel twice and twice they failed

Now Iran's air defenses are in shambles and Iran's economy is in desperate straits.

If you want more evidence that we've seriously weakened Iran and Russia, look at Syria

Major authoritarian states are aligning more closely with each other but that's more out of weakness than out of strength

Today, I can report to the American people we're in a better strategic position for long term competition with China than we were when I took office

According to the latest predictions, on China's current course they will never surpass us

We stood up to unfair trade practices. We imposed target tariffs in critical sectors rather than across the board tariffs.

Even while we compete vigorously, we've managed our relationship effectively [to avoid conflict].

I'm the first president in decades to not leave the war in Afghanistan to his successor

When I took office I had a choice to keep thousands of servicemen in Afghanistan. In my view it was time to end the war and bring our troops home, and we did.

I grieve those brave service members whose lives were lost during the withdrawal

[Theres nothing our adversaries would have liked more than for America to continue that war]

When I took office we were no longer a part of any international climate agreement. On day 1 we joined the Paris climate accords.

I was recently in Angola to see a major project being built with American funding [the railroad]

Chinese control the supply chains for these materials but not for long

We must deter North Korea as they draw closer to Russia

My admin is leaving the next admin with a very strong hand to play, with more friends and stronger alliances

These wins are not partisan. They are American.

Next admin needs to ensure the fall of Assad [doesn't lead to bad outcomes] and never allow Iran to fire a nuclear weapon

So many innocent people have been killed. The Palestinian people deserve peace and the right to determine their own futures.

I urge the next admin to carry forward two issues: AI, we are the lead and must stay in the lead.

Likewise, clean energy transition. Some in the incoming admin are skeptical of the need for clean energy. They believe climate change isn't real.

They are dead wrong.

China wants to capture the market of the future and capture new dependencies. The United States must win this competition.

I've put together one of the most competent foreign policy teams

We will relentlessly defend democracy, civil and human rights

Were the only country in the world built on an idea: that all men are created equal, that we're always reacting to do better, always seeking progress for our people and people everywhere

I hope many of you are going to be staying in the next admin to keep things going

Pool report #8: motorcade heads back to the WH

We left the State Dept for the WH at 3:04 p.m.

Pool report #9: Arrival at the WH

Motorcade pulled up to the South Lawn at 3:07 p.m.

Pool report #10: 4:45 lunch lid

The WH called a lunch lid until 4:45 p.m.

Pool report #11: Gather for POTUS briefing on L.A. wildfires

In-town pool was instructed to gather at the Briefing Room for President Biden's convening of senior White House and administration officials, including VP Harris, for a briefing on the federal response to the wildfires in Los Angeles.

Pool report #14: Gather at the Palm Room Doors

WH: In-town pool, please gather at the Palm Room doors at 8:05pm.

Pool report #15: motorcade rolling

We departed from the South Lawn at 8:26 p.m.

en route to an undisclosed location

Pool report #16: POTUS attending party with staff

WH: The President is attending a celebration of a historic four years with his staff.

Pool report #17: location of staff party with POTUS

The party for staff where President Biden is stopping by is at State Theater in Falls Church, Va. Motorcade pulled up at 8:46 p.m.

Pool report #18: motorcade heads back to the WH

We're headed back to the White House.

Pool report #19: back at the WH

We pulled up to the South Lawn at 9:03 p.m.

Pool report #20: Lid

Have a good night, everyone!