Pool Reports of July 9, 2023

Travel pool report #1 — Gordons Pond departure

Good morning. We've got a good weather call despite some looming showers and gray skies, so the pool is headed to be swept and expecting POTUS to lift from Gordons Pond soon after this morning.

Travel pool report #2 — wheels up in Rehoboth

POTUS arrived at Gordons Pond at 9:35 am ET in some light rain. Marine One was wheels up and away at 9:40.

Travel pool report #2a — additional details

From the White House:

Traveling with the President aboard Marine One en route to Dover Air Force Base:

Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations

Handing off to the supplemental pool picking up in Dover. Have a great Sunday.

Foreign Travel Pool 1: Checking in from Dover

Greetings from your foreign travel pool, which met at JBA early this morning and took a deadhead flight on AF1 with staff to Dover Air Force Base.

We are now awaiting POTUS' arrival and then we are off to London to begin his trip to Europe. A reminder of today's schedule:

9:30 AM THE PRESIDENT departs Rehoboth Beach, Delaware en route to Dover, Delaware
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
Out-of-Town Pool

10:00 AM THE PRESIDENT departs Dover, Delaware en route to London Stansted Airport, Stansted,United Kingdom
Dover Air Force Base, Dover, Delaware
Supplemental Pool

BST

10:10 PM THE PRESIDENT departs London Stansted Airport, Stansted, United Kingdom en route to Winfield House Landing Zone,London United Kingdom
London Stansted Airport, Stansted, United Kingdom
Open Press

10:35 PM THE PRESIDENT arrives at Winfield House Landing Zone, London, United Kingdom
Winfield House Landing Zone, London, United Kingdom
Supplemental Pool

Foreign Travel Pool 2: POTUS arrives Dover

M1 was wheels down at 9:57. The president stepped off the helicopter five minutes later and slowly walked to Air Force One. POTUS, who was not wearing a tie and appeared to not be sporting socks with his sneakers, waved to the pool but did not approach or respond to shouted questions

He boarded the plane using the lower staircase at 10:03.

Foreign Travel Pool 3: Wheels up to London

AF1 was wheels up at 10:16 en route to London, United Kingdom

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre are expected to gaggle during the flight. It will be streamed.

And from the WH:

Greeting the President upon arrival at Dover Air Force Base:

Colonel W. Chris McDonald, Commander, Dover Air Force Base

Traveling with the President aboard Air Force One en route to London Stansted Airport, Stansted, United Kingdom:

Secretary Antony Blinken, Department of State
Jake Sullivan, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs
Jen O'Malley Dillon, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
Karine Jean-Pierre, Assistant to the President & Press Secretary
Ben LaBolt, Assistant to the President & Director of Communications
Stefanie Feldman, Assistant to the President & Staff Secretary
Ambassador Rufus Gifford, Chief of Protocol of the United States
Ryan Montoya, Deputy Assistant to the President & Director of Scheduling & Advance
Curtis Ried, Deputy Assistant to the President & NSC Chief of Staff & Executive Secretary
Ashley Williams, Special Assistant to the President & Deputy Director of Oval Office Operations
Amanda Sloat, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Director for Europe
Sarah Ladislaw, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Director for Climate
Carlyn Reichel, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Director for Speechwriting & Strategic Initiatives
Charlie Fromstein, NSC Director for Visits
Ariana Berengaut, Senior Advisor to the National Security Advisor

Foreign Travel Pool 4: Wheels down UK

AF1 was wheels down at London Stansted Airport at 9:44 pm local time (five hours ahead of Washington). It was an uneventful, largely smooth flight.

Jake Sullivan and Karine Jean-Pierre gaggled for 32 minutes on the flight, let me know if there were any issues with the livestream. The highlights: the revelation that POTUS had a call with President Erdogan of Turkey during the flight - the two men will talk further on the sidelines of NATO, per Sullivan - as well as a mid-gaggle birthday cupcake delivery to the legendary Steve Holland of Reuters.

There were no other visitors to the press cabin

Foreign Travel Pool 5: Lift to Central London

POTUS stepped off AF1 at 9:53 pm into the pleasantly cool British night. He spoke briefly with the greeters (listed below) and then headed toward a waiting M1 without even a look at the pool.

The pool is now boarding our own helicopters and will be lifting shortly. We will not have eyes on M1 taking off. Our destination: the landing zone for the Winfield House, which is the residence of the U.S. Ambassador to the UK and where POTUS will be spending the night.

From the WH:

Greeting the President upon arrival at London Stansted Airport, Stansted, United Kingdom:

Jane Hartley, Ambassador of the United States to the United Kingdom
Jennifer Tolhurst, Lord-Lieutenant of Essex
Karen Pierce DCMG, Ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the United States

Foreign Travel Pool 6: Winfield House

M1 touched down on the beautifully manicured lawn of the Winfield House at 10:36, a few minutes after the press Nighthawk helicopter did.

POTUS waved to the pool but did not respond to shouted questions about Sweden's bid for NATO membership or his call with President Erdogan of Turkey. He then strode into the well-appointed ambassador's residence at 10:40. He will spend the night here.

From the WH:

Traveling with the President aboard Marine One en route to Winfield House Landing Zone, London, United Kingdom:

Secretary Antony Blinken, Department of State
Jake Sullivan, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs
Jen O'Malley Dillon, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations

Foreign Travel Pool 7: Lid

The WH called a lid at here in London at 10:51 pm.

My thanks to the rest of the pool. Have a good night, all.

In-town pool report #1: AF1 gaggle in 5 minutes

Hi all,

Passing this along from the White House:

Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will gaggle aboard Air Force One at 3:18 PM EDT.