Pool Reports by Tyler Pager, The Washington Post
Note: The reporter continued the numbering sequence started on the previous day.
Reports #1 through 4 can be found by clicking here.
| Sent: | Reports: |
| May 18, 2023 16:03 JST |
Out-of-town Pool Report #5: Wheels down in Japan AF1 was wheels down at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni at 3:58 pm local time No visitors to the press cabin on the flight over to Japan. |
| May 18, 2023 16:17 JST |
Out-of-town Pool Report #6: POTUS arrival POTUS walked down the steps of AF1 at 4:14 pm and shook hands with the officials listed below. Secretary of State Tony Blinken followed behind POTUS. We are headed to a greeting with troops. From the White House: Greeting the President upon arrival to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan Yamada Kenji, Japanese State Minister of Foreign Affairs |
| May 18, 2023 16:42 JST |
Out-of-town Pool Report #7: Greeting with troops POTUS entered an airport hangar at 4:19 pm to loud applause from about 400 American and Japanese troops gathered inside. POTUS made very brief remarks, but the pool was stationed too far away and there was music playing so we could not make out what he said. POTUS then walked along the barricade to shake hands and take selfies with the troops. Pool was escorted out of the hangar at 4:40 just as POTUS was leaving. We are headed to the helos. On background from a White House spokesperson: One of the reasons Bruce Reed is traveling with POTUS on the foreign trip is because he has been an integral part of the negotiations with Congress so he will be part of the team updating POTUS on the status of the talks. |
| May 18, 2023 16:49 JST |
Out-of-town Pool Report #8: Departure from air base Pool did not see POTUS board or take off from M1 but the press helo was wheels up at 4:48 en route to Hiroshima From the White House: Traveling with the President aboard Marine One en route to Hiroshima Heliport Landing Zone, Hiroshima, Japan: Secretary Antony Blinken, Department of State |
| May 18, 2023 17:14 JST |
Out-of-town Pool Report #9: Hiroshima arrival Pool did not see M1 land but POTUS walked out of the helicopter at 5:09 pm and entered the Beast. Motorcade started rolling at 5:12 to Rihga Royal Hotel Hiroshima for bilat with Japanese PM. From the White House: Traveling with the President via motorcade en route to Rihga Royal Hotel Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan: Rahm Emmanuel, Ambassador of the United States to Japan |
| May 18, 2023 17:48 JST |
Out-of-town Pool Report #10: Arrival at hotel After an uneventful drive, the motorcade arrived at the Rihga Royal Hotel Hiroshima at 5:46 pm. |
| May 18, 2023 18:25 JST |
Out-of-town Pool Report #11: bilat spray POTUS arrived outside a hotel ballroom at 5:59 pm and greeted PM Kishida. The two shook hands and posed for a photo. POTUS thanked the PM for welcoming him to Japan and then whispered something to him and laughed. The two leaders entered the bilat room and the pool briefly held outside while the leaders sat down. The pool was brought into the room at 6:02 PM. POTUS was seated in between Jake Sullivan and Tony Blinken. PM Kishida spoke first, welcoming POTUS to his hometown and to the G7. Through a translator, he said the US and Japan have a "strong relationship not only in the area of security" but "strong cooperation in all areas." He said the US-Japanese relationship "has evolved by leaps and bounds." He noted that Micron is doing research in Hiroshima and Japan is planning for a global startup campus in Tokyo in partnership with MIT. POTUS then spoke and accidentally referred to Kishida as "Mr. President." As always, please check quotes against transcript. "Thank you for hosting the G7 summit here. Under Japan's leadership, we've already delivered progress on the G7 agenda this year, and I'm looking forward to our meetings in the days ahead. As you said back in January when you were at the White House… we face one of the most complex environments in recent history, security environments, and I couldn't agree more. And I'm proud that the United States and Japan are facing it together." "We stand up for the shared values including supporting the people Ukraine as they defend their sovereign territory and holding Russia accountable for its brutal aggression … to ensuring a free and open Indo Pacific." "It seems to me we're deepening our cooperation on emerging technologies including new partnership between the United States and Japanese companies, and as you mentioned in universities as well, in areas like quantum computing and semiconductors." "I want to thank you for Japan's commitment increase in investment in these areas. The bottom line Mr. Prime Minister is that when our countries stand together, we stand stronger, and I believe the whole world is safer when we do." POTUS ignored shouted questions about default The pool was escorted out of the bilat at 6:06 p.m. and is holding. From the White House: The President is participating in a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan. U.S. Manifest Japan Manifest |
| May 18, 2023 19:19 JST |
Out-of-town Pool Report #12: motorcade rolling Motorcade started rolling from the Riggs Royal Hotel at 7:18 pm. We did not see POTUS leave the hotel. |
| May 18, 2023 19:38 JST |
Out-of-town Pool Report #13: lid The motorcade arrived at the RON at 7:31 A lid was called at 7:34 Thanks to co-pooler Courtney Subramanian for help today. |
Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Pool Reports of May 18, 2023 Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/361884