Pool Reports of January 23, 2025

In-town pool #1 - Schedule Announced

Good morning from the White House. I am your print pooler for this sunny but cold Thursday.

The White House has released the following schedule today for the president. Please see below.

11:00 AM REMARKS AND PANEL DISCUSSION WITH GLOBAL CEOS, WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM
Press: Closed

12:30 PM INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING
Press: Closed

2:30PM EXECUTIVE ORDER SIGNING
Press: In-House Pool
Location: Oval Office

3:30 PM CALL WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF EL SALVADOR
Press: Closed

4:30 PM VIDEO MESSAGE RECORDING
Press: Closed

5:00 PM SENIOR STAFF SWEARING-IN CEREMONY
Press: Closed

In-town #2 - Pool gathering for EO signing

Pool is now gathering in briefing room for executive order signing.

In-town #3 - Oval signing and questions

After waiting in the briefing room for more than 30 minutes, pool started moving to the Oval Office at 3:01 pm. Pool was then held for a few more minutes on the West Colonnade before entering the Oval at 3:09 pm.

The president took several questions after the signing. You can see brief quotes below. Will follow up with Otter transcription.

David Sacks was in the room when poo first entered and announced the first two orders on AI to take U.S. to the "forefront" of industry.

Order to create working group on crypto.

"We're going to make a lot of money for the country," said POTUS.

He thanked Sacks and Staff Secretary Will Scarf began reading out orders thereafter.

Presidential commission on science and technology to get institutions to make sure U.S. maintains position.

More orders and brief quotes:

Order for interior to recognize the Lumbee Tribe in North Carolina.

Trump said he "loved" the Lumbee Tribe and North Carolina, where he will soon visit.

Pardon for 23 "peaceful protesters" prosecuted by Biden Administration.

"Many of them elderly people … this is a great honor to sign this. They will all be happy."

Declassifying Fbi files on JFK, RFK and MLK

Trump mentioned "giving" it to RFK Jr.

A series of questions were posed to POTUS:

On birthright citizenship - "No surprise with that judge"

Also "No surprises" on Senators Murkowski and Collins voting no on Hegseth.

He also said John Thune is "doing a great job."

On recess appointments "it's up to John Thune."

Crown Prince call - "great" will ask for $1 trillion

The money goes to American companies to purchase jets, computers

Steve Witkoff - thinks he's doing great but it's a "tricky"

Will he place Witkoff in charge of Iran strategy - "no" but said he's a "great negotiator"

Middle East "Deal wouldn't have happened without Steve Witkoff. Slammed Biden Administration.

On if Musk is right about Stargate not having the money - "I don't know"

Will AI replace jobs? — "no …it will create number of jobs … cancer research. We are way ahead of China"

On inflation - When the energy prices come down it will "knock out" inflation.

Expects to tell Federal Reserve to listen to him to bring interest rates down.

Jan 6 pardon recipients - Open to speaking with them. "I gave them their life back"

On Biden taking bad advice on not pardoning himself - "He did. He pardoned all these people who are crooked"

Railed against Democrats who "destroyed everything" in regard to Jan 6 investigation. Repeated claims of destroyed evidence. Called Schiff, Cheney, Thomson "crooked politicians." He added, "They should be punished"

Said he offered 10,000 troops to be at Capitol on Jan. 6.

On National Gaurd will make sure the border is "safe"

Musk criticizing deal he made publicly - doesn't bother him

China influence in ending Ukraine war - President Jinping has power over Russia and supplies them energy.

Said Ukraine-Russia Battlefield like no other since WWII.

Revoking security for Pompeo and others - "When you have protection, you can't have it for the rest of your life."

Elaborating on Fed interest rates - said he thinks he knows better than they do.

On why he's softer on tariffs for China - "already paying a lot because me"

He also mentioned the loss of "300,000" lives from fentanyl, another issue he wants to tackle.

In-town #4 - Full Oval Signing

Here's an Otter link to the full Oval Office signing remarks and Q&A:

https://otter.ai/u/HVKlRG-Os80SOsJSMIut43OhTuA?utm_source=copy_url

In-town #5 - Travel/Photo Lid

The pool received a travel/photo lid at 6:21 p.m. Have a great night, folks.