Pool Reports by Jonathan Lemire, Politico
| Sent: | Reports: |
| June 28, 2022 09:08 CEST |
Travel Pool #1 - Checking In Germany G7 Good morning – I'll be filling in as your print pooler today and we don't have someone in the WHCA seat, so thanks in advance for your patience. The President will begin the day here in the Bavarian Alps to conclude the G7 before traveling to Spain ahead of a NATO summit. Pool has been swept and is holding near the Schloss Elmau on what so far has been a very cloudy morning. The President's first event, scheduled for about 10 am local, will be a meeting on the sidelines of the summit with the leaders of Germany, France and the UK. And do note that we are anticipating a briefing from White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan later today on AF1 during our flight to Madrid. The day's complete schedule is below: 5:55 AM Out-of-Town Pool Call Time 10:00 AM THE PRESIDENT meets with Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, President Emmanuel Macron of France, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson of the United Kingdom on the margins of the G7 Summit Pavilion, Schloss Elmau, Germany Out-of-Town Pool Spray 10:30 AM THE PRESIDENT attends and delivers remarks during the final session of the G7 Summit, focused on Multilateral and Digital Order Yoga Pavilion, Schloss Elmau, Germany Restricted Out-of-Town Pool Spray 12:05 PM THE PRESIDENT departs Schloss Elmau, Germany en route Munich, Germany Schloss Elmau Landing Zone, Germany Out-of-Town Pool 12:50 PM THE PRESIDENT departs Munich, Germany en route Madrid, Spain Munich International Airport, Munich, Germany Open Press 3:10 PM THE PRESIDENT arrives in Madrid, Spain Madrid–Torrejón Airport, Madrid, Spain Pre-Credentialed Media 4:00 PM THE PRESIDENT holds a bilateral meeting with President Pedro Sánchez of Spain to continue coordinating on supporting Ukraine and holding Russia accountable Palace of Moncloa, Madrid, Spain Out-of-Town Pool Spray 5:30 PM THE PRESIDENT meets with His Majesty King Felipe VI of Spain Royal Palace of Madrid, Madrid, Spain Out-of-Town Pool Spray 8:05 PM THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY attend a dinner for Heads of State and Government and Heads of International Organizations invited to the official NATO Summit program, hosted by the His Majesty King Felipe VI and Her Majesty Queen Letizia of Spain Royal Palace, Madrid, Spain Out-of-Town Pool Spray Briefing Schedule Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will gaggle aboard Air Force One en route Madrid, Spain |
| June 28, 2022 09:21 CEST |
Travel Pool #2 - Schedule Change The White House advises that, due to weather, the president will no longer be attending the 10:30 am working group. The 10:00 am event will happen as scheduled and we will be loading the motorcade immediately afterward. |
| June 28, 2022 09:39 CEST |
Travel Pool #3 - Gathering for meeting with Germany, Italy, France, UK The pool is now gathering for the day's first event, which was originally billed as the president's meeting with Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, President Emmanuel Macron of France, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson of the United Kingdom. But note that Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi has been added to the program. Folks, the Quad has become a Quint. It will be held at the Summit Pavilion of the Schloss Elmau. |
| June 28, 2022 10:17 CEST |
Travel Pool #4 - Biden meeting with European leaders The president entered the pavilion at 10:11. He took his seat between Johnson and Scholz. Biden had his jacket on today and he continued the summit theme by remaining tieless despite the day's cooler temperatures. He smiled at the pool and made a little small talk with world leaders. Boris Johnson joked about the "intimate gathering" of dozens of reporters and photographers. Biden did not respond to a reporter's shouted question about getting grain out of Ukraine, turning to his peers and saying he didn't hear the question. The question was then repeated and POTUS still did not answer but Johnson said "we're working on it." Pool was escorted from the pavilion moments later. |
| June 28, 2022 10:55 CEST |
Travel Pool #5 - Working Group photo Another change to the schedule as a restricted pool was just hustled back from the motorcade to the pavilion. The other G7 leaders had joined and Biden stayed in the meeting long enough for a group photo, per the WH. We stepped back inside at 10:48. The leaders smiled, posed for photos. Your pooler shouted a question to POTUS about whether the allies had done enough to fulfill Ukrainian President Zelenskyy's wish list he feels he needs to win the war. The president did not answer but seemed amused by the spectacle. We then scrambled back to the motorcade |
| June 28, 2022 10:59 CEST |
Travel Pool #6 - Departure from Schloss Elmau The motorcade pulled away from Schloss Elmau at 10:58, thus ending the president's participation at the G7. Pool did not have eyes on POTUS. The White House advises that we will first be in the motorcade for a stretch and then lifting to Munich, where AF1 awaits. The goal remains an on-time departure from Germany. |
| June 28, 2022 12:00 CEST |
Travel pool #7 - Lift to Munich After an uneventful but scenic ride through the mountains, the motorcade came to a stop at 11:50 and the president boarded M1 for the flight to Munich. Pool then stepped onto our own helicopter and we were airborne at precisely 12:00. We did not have eyes on M1 as it took off. |
| June 28, 2022 12:39 CEST |
Travel pool #8 - Departure for Madrid M1 touched down at 12:28. The president waved at the pool but did not come over to speak. He boarded AF1 at 12:36 and we will be wheels up shortly. Reminder that White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan are expected to brief during the flight. It will be live-streamed on the WH website and a two-minute warning should be distributed. Also spotted boarding the plane: Secretary of State Blinken. Next stop: Madrid, Spain |
| June 28, 2022 15:09 CEST |
Travel pool #9 - Wheels down, Madrid - POTUS to meet with Erdogan tomorrow Air Force One touched down at Madrid-Torrejón Airport at 3:04 after a somewhat bumpy flight from Munich. On the flight, Karine Jean-Pierre and Jake Sullivan, as promised, gaggled with the pool at 2:10 for approximately 36 minutes; it should have been live-streamed on the WH website. Jean-Pierre stayed behind to chat off the record a few additional minutes. No other visitors. Some news from the briefing: POTUS will meet with Turkish President Erdogan tomorrow, but exact format/time of the meeting is still being determined. Sullivan said the focus would be on the strategic US-Turkey relationship as well the bids for NATO membership by Finland and Sweden. Sullivan also provided updates on deliverables from the NATO summit and said that Biden will also host a tri-lateral meeting with the leaders of Japan and Korea tomorrow Sullivan also called for the release of Brittney Greiner, currently being held in Russia. And Jean-Pierre expressed sympathy for the migrant truck tragedy in San Antonio and, later, ruled out building facilities to provide abortions on federal property And from WH: Traveling with the President on Marine One en route Munich International Airport: Secretary of State Antony Blinken Traveling with the President on Air Force One en route Madrid, Spain: Secretary of State Antony Blinken |
| June 28, 2022 15:25 CEST |
Travel pool #10 - Rolling from airport The president stepped off AF1 at 3:17 for a welcome led by the King of Spain. A full list of greeters is below. Biden and the King chatted amiably for a few minutes and then the president worked a brief receiving line. The motorcade began rolling at 3:23 for a bilateral meeting with President Pedro Sanchez of Spain, to be held at the Palace of Moncloa. It's warmer here than Bavaria. Greeting the President upon arrival at Madrid–Torrejón Airport: King Felipe VI of Spain |
| June 28, 2022 16:18 CEST |
Travel pool #11 - Arrival The motorcade pulled up at 4:05 to the grounds of the Palace of Moncloa, the residence and workplace of Spain's prime minister, Pedro Sanchez. The ride through Madrid was uneventful, with lots of onlookers (and drivers stuck in traffic) staring at the motorcade. At 4:13, the presidential limousine then made its way to an entrance of the palace. The prime minister stepped out to greet POTUS, and they shook hands, chatted quietly and posed for photos before walking inside |
| June 28, 2022 17:45 CEST |
Travel pool #12 - Leaders statements The pool was brought into the palace where Biden and Sánchez held a bilat (full group of attendees below). Upon conclusion, the two stepped up to a pair of podiums in a reception room at 5:22. Prime Minister Sánchez spoke first, touting the close ties between the two nations and releasing an updated joint declaration between Washington and Madrid. The WH has released a copy. POTUS began speaking at 5:29. He categorized the bilateral meeting as "warm" and deemed Spain an "indispensable ally" and then recounted the actions that the US and NATO have taken to confront Russia. Biden also said that the US would increase the numbers of destroyers stationed at a naval base here in Spain. Biden wrapped at 5:35, after saying that he would outline more US plan at the summit tomorrow. He did not take questions, ignoring a shouted questions about the tragedy in San Antonio. The president then exited the room and we loaded the motorcade. We are rolling at 5:44, off now to the king's palace From the WH: In attendance for the President's bilateral meeting with H.E. Pedro Sánchez, President of the Government of Spain: U.S. Manifest Spain Manifest |
| June 28, 2022 18:16 CEST |
Travel Pool #13 - Royal Palace The presidential motorcade traveled from one Madrid palace to another, winding its way through pretty streets before arriving at a courtyard of the opulent royal palace at 5:55 pm. POTUS was to be met at the Palacio Real de Madrid by His Majesty King Felipe VI but pool did not see arrival; Biden exited the limo before we got there. Pool was then set up in a very very grand room within the palace. The king and POTUS entered at 6:01 pm and shook hands with each nation's delegation. The king then offered warm remarks about the ties between the two nations and he fondly mentioned his longtime relationship with Biden POTUS then spoke at 6:05 and immediately evoked a saying from a small town in Delaware about overstaying welcomes and joked that he may not go back to the US because his time in Madrid has been so pleasant. Biden raved about the (admittedly impressive) palace and then touched again on his goals for the NATO summit The two leaders left the room at 6:09 and were to head to a bilat. Pool is holding. |
| June 28, 2022 18:55 CEST |
Travel Pool #14 - Back to POTUS RON The motorcade departed the Royal Palace at 6:40 pm. We drove through Madrid's beautiful boulevards and arrived at the POTUS hotel RON at 6:50. The president is now meeting with embassy staff and families. We are expected to return to the royal palace for dinner later tonight. And from WH: In attendance for the President's bilateral meeting with His Majesty King Felipe VI of Spain: U.S. Manifest Spain Manifest |
| June 28, 2022 20:10 CEST |
Travel Pool #15 - Rolling back to Royal Palace The motorcade began rolling at 7:57 pm back to the Royal Palade for, per WH, a dinner for Heads of State and Government and Heads of International Organizations invited to the official NATO Summit program, hosted by His Majesty King Felipe VI and Her Majesty Queen Letizia of Spain. We arrived at 8:06 pm. |
| June 28, 2022 20:52 CEST |
Travel Pool #16 - Dinner Family Photo At 8:46 pm, POTUS and other NATO leaders entered a grand ballroom for a family photo. Biden was in the front row, just to the King of Spain's right. The photo was taken just minutes after the NATO Secretary General announced that Turkey was dropping its opposition to Finland and Sweden joining the alliance - but the leaders, far from the assembled press, made no public comments, only joking and laughing among themselves. The leaders returned to the dinner three minutes later. |
| June 28, 2022 21:18 CEST |
Travel Pool #17 - Dinner attendees From the WH: The President and the First Lady are attending a dinner for NATO Allies hosted by King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain. Also in attendance: |
| June 28, 2022 22:29 CEST |
Travel Pool #18 - Return to RON + Lid Leaving the NATO dinner, the presidential motorcade pulled away from the Royal Palace at 10:15 pm. After an uneventful ride, we reached the POTUS RON hotel here in Madrid at 10:26. A lid was then called, ending this long day that began in Bavaria. Thanks, all. We'll do it again tomorrow. |
Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Pool Reports of June 28, 2022 Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/356682