Pool Reports of July 11, 2020

In-town pool report #1: Departing White House

Good morning from the White House, where it's already warm and getting warmer. I'll be your print pooler today.

Members of the pool took COVID tests this morning before loading into the motorcade, which pulled out of the White House at 9:19 a.m. for an undisclosed destination.

Your pooler did not spot the president, who has no public events on his schedule today until a trip to Walter Reed later this afternoon. The president has tweeted this morning about Christopher Steele, Roger Stone and the upcoming Alabama Senate primary.

In-town pool report #2: Golf club arrival

Motorcade arrived at Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia, at 9:58 a.m.

There were a handful of onlookers as we drove onto the property.

One man walking his dog gave a thumbs down as the motorcade drove by.

On one side of the street near the entrance to the club were three Trump supporters. One man was flashing thumbs up and another saluted.

On the other side of the street were a few protesters holding signs. One read “SCOTUS not drinking your Kool-Aid?” and another read “WOAT Worst of All Time”.

Pool is now holding at a strip mall just up the street. Your pooler will ask the press office about the president's activities while at the golf club.

In-town pool report #3: Departing golf club

Motorcade pulled out of Trump National Golf Club at 2:10 p.m. The president was there for roughly four hours. The White House has not provided any info on his activities, but NBC News cameras captured the president on the course, per this tweet: https://twitter.com/KellyO/status/1281963164993814528

A mix of roughly 20 supporters and protesters gathered outside the entrance to the golf club to greet the motorcade. The scene was quite spirited while pool waited for the president to depart.

One supporter was particularly animated, repeatedly clapping and chanting “keep America great” and “four more years.”

Protesters at one point chanted “136,000 dead, bounties on our soldiers' heads.”

There were a few new signs added to the mix. One read “I beg your pardon I want you out of the Rose Garden.” Another banner said “Putin's Apprentice.” One sign said “130K deaths.”

A Jeep drove by with an American flag and a Trump 2020 flag. It made several loops up and down the road outside the property, slowing down each time it passed.

Law enforcement walked over just before the motorcade left to ask the demonstrators to back up from the road slightly. The group complied without issue.

In-town pool report #4: White House return

Motorcade arrived back at the White House at 2:52 p.m. and POTUS entered a few moments later.

The president is scheduled to leave for Walter Reed at 5 p.m. The main pool is traveling separately, so a supplemental pool will be handling the departure.

In-town pool report #5: Walter Reed arrival

Marine One touched down at the Walter Reed landing zone at 5:24 p.m., and President Trump stepped off a few minutes later. He was not wearing a mask.

POTUS walked over to the motorcade and climbed into the Beast to make his way to the entrance of the hospital. Pool is taking a different route so that we can be in position to see the president walking in.

In-town pool report #6: News- POTUS wears mask

The president walked down the entryway of Walter Reed accompanied by medical staff. He was wearing a black mask.

The president walked toward the pool but did not stop to take questions. He turned down a hallway, walking with hospital personnel. His meeting with injured troops and staff is closed to the press.

In-town pool report#7: Details on Walter Reed visit

More on the president's brief walk down the hall. The mask was navy blue, not black, as previously stated. Your pooler regrets the error. The mask had a gold presidential seal emblazoned on the side of the mask. The president and the accompanying group walked silently down the hall before turning out of view.

POTUS was accompanied by chief of staff Mark Meadows and Walter Reed staff/military personnel. I will ask about the other officials who were with him.

In the meantime, Judd Deere passes along the following information on the president's visit.

President Trump is at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to visit brave combat wounded service members and their families as well as healthcare staff who have been caring for COVID-19 patients during the pandemic.

In-town pool report #8: POTUS departing Walter Reed

The president wrapped his visit inside the hospital at about 6:10 p.m., per White House staff, and made his way back toward the landing zone in the motorcade a short time later.

He boarded Marine One, accompanied by Mark Meadows and Judd Deere, among others. The president, who was no longer wearing a mask, gave a wave in the direction of the pool as he boarded.

The chopper lifted at 6:25 p.m. Pool is Motorcading back to the White House, so the supplemental pool will be there when POTUS arrives.

In response to questions about the mask policy at Walter Reed, I have reached out to the hospital to see what the protocol is and will update if I hear back. In the meantime, the Walter Reed website includes guidance that states visitors “are expected to wear a cloth face covering over their nose and mouth upon entering and while moving about the facility... when not able to maintain 6 feet of social distancing.“https://tricare.mil/mtf/WalterReed/About-Us/Patient-Visitors

In-town pool report #9: List of officials with POTUS

Judd Deere sent the following list of officials who accompanied the president at Walter Reed:

Colonel Andrew Barr, Director, WRNMMC

Master Chief Randy Swanson, Command Master Chief

Captain Gerard Woelkers, NMRTC Commander

Colonel Marion Jefferson, Troop Command

Sergeant Major Jeffrey Zak, Command Sergeant Major

In-town pool report #10: But more info on hospital visit

Flagging this tweet from Judd Deere that has a bit of detail on the president's activities while at Walter Reed today.

https://twitter.com/juddpdeere45/status/1282087667090563078?s=21

And the press office confirms that POTUS kept his mask on while meeting with wounded soldiers.

Enjoy your evening, everyone.

Supplemental pool report #1/Marine One departure

POTUS emerged from the South Portico at 5:08 p.m. and walked over to take questions for 3 minutes on masks and his recent commutation of Roger Stone's prison sentence. Will send more shortly.

On masks, POTUS said he would wear a mask at Walter Reed, particularly with medically vulnerable troops in center.

“I love masks in the appropriate locations.”

On Stone: “Roger Stone was treated horribly. He was treated very unfairly.”
Compared the treatment of Stone to that of Michael Flynn and George Papadopoulos. He was asked if he would consider pardoning Flynn and Papadopoulos, but he did not answer.

“I'm happy with what I did.”

Says prosecutors should take a look at McCabe, Comey, Biden and Obama before walking away from the gathered pool to board Marine One.

Marine One took off from a sunny, sweaty South Lawn at 5:14 p.m. en route to Walter Reed.

Supplemental pool report #2/Fuller quotes from departure

Thanks to our TV friends for the feed. See below:

On his visit to Walter Reed and wearing a mask...

"We're going to see the warriors on the front line of COVID ... and we're going to spend some good time with them, and I look forward to doing it, and it will be my honor to be there."

"I'll probably have a mask, if you must know. I think when you're in a hospital, especially in that particular setting where you're talking to a lot of soldiers and people that in some cases just got off the operating tables. I think it's a great thing to wear a mask. I've never been against masks, but I do believe they have a time and a place."

On Roger Stone...

Roger Stone was treated horribly. Roger Stone was treated very unfairly. Roger Stone was brought into this witch hunt, this whole political witch hunt and the Mueller scam ... and he was treated very unfairly, just like General Flynn is treated unfairly, just like Papadopoulos was treated unfairly. They've all been treated unfairly."

"People are extremely happy because, in this country, they want justice, and Roger Stone was not treated properly. I'm very happy with what I did."

On Stone's judge and forewoman in the jury...

"He had a forewoman who was horrendous. She should have never been on the jury. The judge should have so ruled, the judge didn't do that. Take a look at the record. The judge didn't do that. Take a look at the forewoman. He should have had another trial. Roger Stone was treated very badly."

On his Obama, Biden, Comey and Co....

"Take a look at Comey. Take a look at McCabe. Take a look at the two lovers, Strzok and Paige. Take a look at all these people that are walking around and they lied to Congress and they leaked and did everything else. A lot of other things. Take a look at Biden, sleepy Joe. Take a look at Obama, and they spied on Donald Trump's campaign. Those are the people that should be in trouble."

Supplemental pool report #3/Arrival & Lid

Marine One touched down on the South Lawn at 6:34 p.m. The president disembarked at 6:36 p.m. and waved to the gathered pool but did not stop to answer questions.

A travel/photo lid was called at 6:40 p.m.

Have a great Saturday evening, y'all!