Pool Reports of July 23, 2020

In-town pool report #1

Good morning from the White House.

Happy Opening Day!

The only event listed on the president's schedule today is a 5 p.m. news conference, which was added to the schedule earlier today.

In-town pool report #2

The White House passes along the following:

Attributable to a White House Official

Today, Thursday, July 23, Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump will visit Colorado for a two-day tour.

This morning at 9:00AM MDT/11:00AM EDT, Advisor Trump will join Interior Secretary David Bernhardt for a visit of Rocky Mountain National Park to highlight the Great American Outdoors Act. During this event, they will tour the Rocky Mountain National Park, the Discovery Center and prior to the tour they will deliver podium remarks.

CONSERVATION BACKGROUND: President Trump has been a champion for promoting healthy and resilient forests by increasing federal attention to all aspects of forest conservation, restoration, and management, including tree planting. Advisor Trump has spearheaded the administration's commitment to these efforts, working closely with the President on the One Trillion Trees Initiative – an ambitious global effort to conserve, restore, and grow a trillion trees around the world.

Yesterday, the Great American Outdoors Act, supported by President Trump and his Administration and championed by Colorado Senator Cory Gardner, was passed by the House after passing the Senate. This bill fixes our aging infrastructure in our national parks, permanently funds conservation projects, and improves public access for hunting, fishing, and other recreation activities.

In-town pool report #3 -- PUTIN CALL

From Judd Deere:

Today, President Donald J. Trump spoke with President Vladimir Putin of Russia. President Trump and President Putin discussed efforts to defeat the coronavirus pandemic while continuing to reopen global economies. The two leaders also discussed critical bilateral and global issues. President Trump reiterated his hope of avoiding an expensive three-way arms race between China, Russia, and the United States and looked forward to progress on upcoming arms control negotiations in Vienna.

In-town pool report #4

A lunch lid has been called until 2:15 p.m.

In-town pool report #5 -- briefing expected 5:15 p.m.

The president tweeted that the briefing will now be at 5:15 p.m.

In-town pool report #6 -- two minutes

Two minute warning for the president's news conference.

In-town pool #7 -- Mariano Rivera

The briefing is underway and should be airing in the usual places.

Off camera, I would note that Mariano Rivera, the MLB Hall of Fame Closer from the Yankees, is sitting in one of the staff seats to the president's right, alongside Kayleigh McEnany and Dr. Birx.

Rivera is scheduled to appear on ESPN with the president and Little Leaguers in the Rose Garden, according to ESPN PR. That is supposed to air between 6:30 and 7 p.m.

In-town pool report # 8 -- Briefing over

The briefing concluded at 5:56 p.m.

In-town pool report #9 --pool on South Lawn

The pool has gathered on the South Lawn.

Judd Deere sends along the following:

President Trump will mark the Opening Day of the Major League Baseball Season on the South Lawn. The event is embargoed until 7 p.m.

In-town pool report #10 -- lid called

A lid was called shortly after the return from the South Lawn.

I will have another report once the embargo is lifted on the South Lawn event.

In-town pool report #11 -- MBS CALL

Judd Deere senda long the following:

Today, President Donald J. Trump spoke with Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The two leaders discussed the latest positive developments in defeating the coronavirus pandemic and re-energizing global economies. The President and Crown Prince reaffirmed the strong United States-Saudi defense partnership and discussed other critical regional and bilateral issues. President Trump also expressed his well wishes to King Salman.

In-town pool report #12 -- POTUS plays catch with Rivera

By now much of this should have aired on ESPN, but check any quotes here against the transcript.

One bit of news was the president responding to a question about National outfielder Juan Soto's positive COVID-19 test.

"No, no, no. They'll be able to take care of it. They're going to be able to take care of it," Trump said.

He said he would watch at least part of tonight's Yankees-Nationals game.

"If I can, I'm going to. I'm going to watch at least a part of it. I've been pretty busy between China, Russia, North Korea and about 30 other nations, but I will certainly get a little bit of it, yes," the president said.

As for the event itself, at 6:07 p.m., President Trump and Mariano Rivera emerged from the White House to see two rows of Little Leaguers playing catch on the South Lawn.
The president and Rivera were largely out of audio range of the pool. initially as they greeted the Little League players and made their way to the end of the lines.

The greatest there ever was" Trump said of Rivera, and the two men took baseball gloves and played catch for a few minutes before stopping to make remarks, likely for the ESPN pregame audience.

"Let me ask you for an audience, big audience, you were the greatest reliever of all time. You've got a presidential Medal of Freedom. In Fact, Tiger Woods got it and you did it right after Tiger."

"You had a pitch that broke a lot of bats, Mariano. I've watched many, sitting with George, good old George who is watching you right now," Trump said. "He's very proud of you, but sitting with George and I watched you break more bats."

"The Lord gave me that great pitch," Rivera said of the cutter that was the Hall of Fame closer's trademark pitch.

President Trump also repeated some comments he had made at the briefing about Rivera's warm-up song "Enter Sandman"

President Trump said he had spoken with Yankees president Randy Levine, "he said the team's going to be great."

At 6:15 p.m. the president and Rivera gathered with the Little Leaguers and their coaches for a group photograph. Rivera could be seen appearing to sign some autographs, and the president and Rivera returned to the White House minutes later.