Pool Reports of March 18, 2025

In Town Pool #1

Good morning! Deputy COS Dan Scavino just gave an update on the call with President Putin on X.

"Happening Now—President Trump is currently in the Oval Office speaking with President Vladimir Putin of Russia since 10:00amEDT. The call is going well, and still in progress."

https://x.com/Scavino47/status/1902010827781165078

Press Sec. Karoline Leavitt said there would be a read out of the call during yesterday's briefing, but there hasn't been an update on that yet today.

In Town Pool #2

On background from the White House, the call wrapped and there should be a read out soon.

They wouldn't say what time the call ended.

In Town Pool #3

There's a lunch lid until 2pm

In Town Pool #4

Read out just released by the White House:

Readout of President Donald J. Trump's Call with President Vladimir Putin

Today, President Trump and President Putin spoke about the need for peace and a ceasefire in the Ukraine war. Both leaders agreed this conflict needs to end with a lasting peace. They also stressed the need for improved bilateral relations between the United States and Russia.The blood and treasure that both Ukraine and Russia have been spending in this war would be better spent on the needs of their people.

This conflict should never have started and should have been ended long ago with sincere and good faith peace efforts. The leaders agreed that the movement to peace will begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire, as well as technical negotiations on implementation of a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, full ceasefire and permanent peace. These negotiations will begin immediately in the Middle East.

The leaders spoke broadly about the Middle East as a region of potential cooperation to prevent future conflicts. They further discussed the need to stop proliferation of strategic weapons and will engage with others to ensure the broadest possible application. The two leaders shared the view that Iran should never be in a position to destroy Israel.

The two leaders agreed that a future with an improved bilateral relationship between the United States and Russia has huge upside. This includes enormous economic deals and geopolitical stability when peace has been achieved.

In Town Pool #5

Here's an additional statement on the call with President Putin from President Trump on Truth Social:

"My phone conversation today with President Putin of Russia was a very good and productive one. We agreed to an immediate Ceasefire on all Energy and Infrastructure, with an understanding that we will be working quickly to have a Complete Ceasefire and, ultimately, an END to this very horrible War between Russia and Ukraine. This War would have never started if I were President! Many elements of a Contract for Peace were discussed, including the fact that thousands of soldiers are being killed, and both President Putin and President Zelenskyy would like to see it end. That process is now in full force and effect, and we will, hopefully, for the sake of Humanity, get the job done!"

https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114184931453780675

In Town Pool #6

The press team said the president is running behind schedule. There is currently no change to the media access for the EO signings.

In Town Pool #7

On background from the White House, President Trump signed the EO:

Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Achieves Efficiency Through State and Local Preparedness
ENHANCING EFFICIENCY THROUGH STATE AND LOCAL PREPAREDNESS: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order to empower states, localities, and citizens to more effectively prepare for incidents like cyber attacks and weather events.

• The Order enables state and local governments to better understand, plan for, and address the needs of their citizens by reducing the complexity of federal preparedness and response policies.
• It also launches a National Resilience Strategy that articulates the priorities, means, and ways to advance the resilience of the nation.
• The Order calls for a review of all infrastructure, continuity, and preparedness policies to modernize and simplify federal approaches, aligning them with the National Resilience Strategy. This includes:
  • Shifting national critical infrastructure policy from an "all-hazards" approach to a risk-informed approach, prioritizing resilience and action over mere information sharing.
  • Overhauling national continuity policy to modernize its framework, streamline operations, and right-size the federal footprint for sustained readiness.
  • Evaluating national preparedness policies to reformulate the process and metrics for federal responsibility.
• The Order creates a National Risk Register to identify, describe, and measure risks to our national infrastructure, related systems, and their users in order to guide smarter spending and planning.
• The Order streamlines federal functions so states and communities can work with Washington more easily and effectively.

SAVING LIVES THROUGH EARLY PREPAREDNESS: President Trump knows that Americans need fast, effective help when crises hit—not delays or excuses.

• This Order injects common sense into both infrastructure prioritization and strategic investments through risk-informed decisions. This will make our infrastructure, communities, and economy more resilient to global and dynamic threats and hazards.
• Local leaders and citizens know their needs best—not bureaucrats in Washington, D.C.
• The Order streamlines operations and updates relevant government policies to reduce complexity, increase efficiency, and better protect and serve Americans. It enables state and local governments to better understand, plan for, and address the needs of their citizens.

EMPOWERING STATES AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES: This Executive Order delivers on President Trump's commitment to shift power from Washington to the American people.

• In his first week back in office, President Trump established a task force to assess FEMA's ability to effectively address disasters occurring within the United States.
• President Trump also signed an Executive Order to ensure California gets adequate resources to fight wildfires and assist California and North Carolina in rebuilding quicker, putting local needs first.

On background from the White House, Trump signed this memorandum:

Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Removes DEI From the Foreign Service

RESTORING THE VALUES OF INDIVIDUAL DIGNITY, HARD WORK, AND EXCELLENCE: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a memorandum removing radical "Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion" (DEI) from the Foreign Service.

• The memorandum directs the Secretary of State to remove the "Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility" Core Precept from Foreign Service tenure and promotion criteria.
• It further directs that the U.S. government will not base Foreign Service recruitment, hiring, promotion, or retention decisions on an individual's race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, nor embed discriminatory equity ideology within any element of the Foreign Service.
• Relevant agencies shall identify and take appropriate action regarding any Foreign Service Officer who knowingly and willfully engaged in illegal discrimination.

PUTTING MERIT FIRST: President Trump believes that hiring in all parts of government should be based solely on merit.

• Under the previous administration, divisive and discriminatory policies were systematically embedded into every part of the State Department.
• Biden's State Department conditioned eligibility for promotions on an employee's ability to pass a DEI loyalty test.
  • In 2023, Biden's Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer for the State Department, Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, said: "We made the change that if you wanted to be considered for promotion at the Department of State, you must be able to document what you are doing to support diversity, equity and inclusion and accessibility. This is how you are judged for promotion."
• Biden's State Department published a "Five-Year Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Strategic Plan" that included a department-wide "DEIA Climate Survey" and implemented a comprehensive recruitment plan to aggressively target so-called "underrepresented groups."
• Foreign policy positions should be filled by the most qualified individuals, not by discriminatory quotas or ideological requirements.

SERVING AMERICA, NOT IDEOLOGICAL AGENDAS: President Trump is restoring fairness and accountability in federal hiring, and terminating DEI across the federal government.

• In his first week in office, President Trump signed an Executive Order restoring merit-based hiring and promotions across the federal government.
• President Trump also signed an Executive Order ending radical and wasteful DEI programs and preferencing.
• President Trump: "We will terminate every diversity, equity, and inclusion program across the entire federal government."

In Town Pool #9

The WH called a travel/photo lid at 7:20pm.