Pool Reports of March 21, 2025

In-town pool report #1: 11 am Oval w/Hegseth will go out live

Good morning from the WH. A quick note programming note: 11:00 am remarks from the Oval with Secretary Hegseth will go out live:

https://www.youtube.com/@WhiteHouse/streams

In-town pool report #2: pool enters Oval

Pool entered the Oval Office at 11:30 am for POTUS-Hegseth remarks. POTUS was already seated at Resolute Desk when we entered. SecDef Hegseth is standing next to him. Two military men on other side of potus. Starting w remarks on education. SBA will handle all student loan portfolio, he says. Bobby Kennedy handling special needs students.

Remarks going out live on WH YouTube channel- please grab exact quotes there!
https://www.youtube.com/@WhiteHouse/streams

In-town pool report #3: Q&A in Oval ends

More from Oval: POTUS read from prepared remarks in announcing the F-47 6th generation fighter jet.

Artistic renderings of the new F-47 fighter jet flank the Resolute desk.

Says "we've had record numbers of people wanting to join our military."

Invites SEC Hegseth to speak. "This is a big day," he says of 6th generation fighter.

"This is a gift to my kids and your kids, to my grandkids and your grandkids"

POTUS notes that the new jet flies with drones. Intros the 2 generals.
Air Force chief of staff David Alvin speaks first.

Air Force Gen Dale White is the other general here.

Questions: on JFK assassination, Tren de Aragua gang members, Tim Walz, on whether US will give up position of NATO supreme allied commander, report that Musk will be shown war plan re China.

Hegseth spoke on Musk and DOGE.

More Trump: Slams NYT and other "dishonest" media. Mentions NVIDIA investment in US, Apple too. Talks cars, wants 'em built in US

VP JD Vance is at back of room, also comms director Steven Cheung.

POTUS recognized Vance, invited him to speak. "I'm just here to watch the show," the Veep said.

More Q&A w Trump on: energy, tariffs, Canada, astronauts. Thanks Musk - re the astronauts. Tesla "terrorists". Cuts to government. Russian continued attacks on Ukraine. Law firms he's cutting deals with.

Q&A ended at 12:15, pool ushered out immediately.

More color: Chief of staff Susie Wiles seated off to the side, along the wall, looking at her phone. Press Sec Karoline Leavitt standing along wall near Wiles.

In-town pool report #4: otter link

In case of use, here's the Otter to POTUS-Hegseth Q&A in Oval:

https://otter.ai/u/kFt0zbw6Dc32isUrL5COElzQhtQ

In-town pool report #5: lunch lid

Until 1:45 pm

In-town pool report #6: Hegseth quick comment as he walked by sticks

Walking from Pebble Beach at 1:08, past reporters assembled at sticks, Secretary Hegseth said, "I'm proud of the F-47, it's a very important platform."

He then declined to respond to a shouted question: "Is it named after President Trump?" before walking into WH via the West Wing portico.

In-town pool report #7: Ag Secy Rollins at sticks/otter

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins stopped by the sticks after a TV hit to talk to reporters at 1:30. Spoke of US plan to import eggs from India and South Korea.

Otter link: https://otter.ai/u/-pV5drL6hAjNysfAdsilZw-CBZo

Excerpt:

Just yesterday, I talked to a couple of other countries that will soon begin importing. we haven'ts igned that deal yet, so I don't want to say who it is. we are talking in the hundreds of millions of eggs for the short term.....significant enough to help continue to bring the prices down for right now and then, when our chicken populations are repopulated and we've got a full egglaying industry going again, hopefully in a couple of months, we then shift back to our internal egglayers and moving those eggs out onto the shelf.

In-town pool report #7a: correction -meant to say Turkey! (not India)

At the sticks just now, Ag Secretary Rollins discussed egg imports from Turkey and South Korea (not India!) Apologies for the error.

In-town pool report #8: POTUS gaggle/departure from South Lawn

POTUS emerged from the Oval Office onto South Lawn at 5:10, walked down the sidewalk tothe driveway and toward the assembled press. He stopped and greeted us, then walked to other end of the giant scrum of media to take questions.

Hard to hear and get exact quotes, but he spoke glowingly of the new fighter jet unveiled this morning in Oval Office; described gang member deportees as bad guys, skewered the judge for fighting the deportations to El Salvador. In answer to a question about his negotiations with Putin over Ukraine, he said Putin didn't reject a ceasefire and said Russians already have a lot of sanctions. "They have more sanctions than anybody." Also said he had a "couple of good conversations today on Russia and Ukraine."

He's on his way to JBA, and ultimately his estate in Bedminster. Will go to Philly tomorrow to watch NCAA wrestling. Said he's a big wrestling fan. Also said he might go to the "southern White House" - ie, Mar a Lago. Talked about how it's "cold up there" (NJ).

Gaggle ended at 5:16, and he walked to Marine One. Helo lifted off at 5:21 pm.

From JBA he flies AF1 to Morristown Municipal Airport in Morris County NJ, and the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster.

Handing off to travel pool.

In-town pool report #9: Otter of gaggle

Here's the Otter of the gaggle with POTUS just now on the South Lawn. Early part easy to hear, then he moved to other end of scrum, and it was harder to hear.

https://otter.ai/u/D7zJD525aw6m3AeEZbNKAw4psLw

Some quotes:

On the new F-47 fighter jet: "I think in terms of every criteria known to man, it's the best. Now, that doesn't mean in five years it'll be good.... But there's never been a plane designed or made like this, and we'll have them within about a two-year period."

On Russia/Ukraine: "We are moving along on Russia, Ukraine. We had a couple of good conversations today, and maybe we can get that death march stopped as soon as possible."

On weekend travel plans: "So we're going to be going there [Philly for NCAA wrestling] on Saturday night, and then probably down to either here or the southern White House."

Happy weekend!

Out of town travel pool #1 - JBA

Hello from JBA

The president exited M1 at 5:32 pm

He boarded AF1 at 5:33 pm, and pumped his fist at the top of the stairs.

His entourage followed, Elon Musk among them.

We are flying on the smaller plane today and will be wheels up shortly.

Out of town pool #2 - Morristown Airport

AF1 was wheels down at 6:19 pm at Morristown Municipal Airport after a short and uneventful flight, with a few bumps shortly before landing.

Out of town pool #3 - Travelling to golf club

The president deplaned at 6:34 and walked to his chopper. He waved but did not engage with the pool.

Also spotted on the tarmac : Karoline Leavitt and Susie Wiles.

Potus was wheels up again at 6:42 to his golf club in Bedminster.

Pool now loading the vans.

Out of town pool #4 - Lid

And at 6:50 pm the White House gave us a lid.

Have a great evening, you all

Out of town pool #5 - Bedminster

One last note from me: the WH shares that the president landed at Bedminster at 6:52 pm.