Pool Reports of May 20, 2020

In-town pool report 1 -- Judd Deere statement on Trump's conversation with Macron

Hi. I am the print pooler today, and I'll start by sharing the following from Judd Deere:

Today, President Donald J. Trump spoke with President Emmanuel Macron of France. President Trump and President Macron discussed progress on reopening the United States and France, as well as global economies. President Trump expressed that the United States looks forward to convening the G7 soon. The two leaders also discussed critical regional and bilateral issues. Regarding Libya, President Trump and President Macron expressed concern about worsening foreign interference and agreed on the urgent need for de-escalation.

Print pool report 2 -- lunch lid till 2:30

We have a lunch lid till 2:30 p.m.

Print pool 3-- McEnany briefing postponed to 3:30 p.m.

We've just been told that Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany's briefing will begin at 3:30 p.m., not 3 p.m., as had been previously announced.

Print pool report 4 -- McEnany briefing begins

The briefing with Kayleigh McEnany has begun and is streaming live on the White House website.

Print pool 5 -- Trump on Michigan

POTUS defended his criticism of Michigan's move to encourage vote by mail after his meeting with Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly. Trump wouldn't say what funding he might withhold from the state.

"You'll be finding out that we finding out very soon if it's necessary" to withhold funding from the state Trump said. "I don't think it's going to be necessary."

"Mail-in ballots are a very dangerous thing they're they're subject of massive fraud," Trump said.

"They harvest, I guess the word is harvest them," he said of mail-in ballots.

Pool report 6 -- hydroxychloroquine

Trump said he would finish his preventative hydroxychloroquine regime "in a day or two."

Print pool 7 -- More on Michigan/flooding

Trump said: "I just spoke with Gretchen Whitmer. I will be going to Michigan at the appropriate time. They have a big problem with the dams breaking. So that is a big big problem. And so we've sent the FEMA and the Army Corps of Engineers out, and they're very good at dams, they're probably better at thatn anybody you can think of, right? The Army Corps of Engineers have done a fantastic job."

Print pool 8 -- Arkansas and Kansas

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly : "I think one of the most significant things is that when we put out a cry for help about the meatpacking plants, you sent in a CDC SWAT team that came into Southwest Kansas and worked with multiple plants, and really helped us."

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson: "We're back to work today. All of our retail stores are open, all of our retail establishments totally are open, our gyms are open. Our barbers are open, our restaurants. Now sure they have some restrictions -- one third occupancy and things like that. And we're emphasizing associate social distancing, but we're at work."

For that reason, Hutchinson said he now projects the state's sales tax revenue will be down only 5%, not the 10% he earlier projected.

Print pool 9 -- economy

"I think that we will have a great transition period which is third quarter. I think you're going to have a very good fourth quarter I think you can have an incredible year," Trump said.

Larry Kudlow, citing the Congressional Budget Office, said third quarter growth could be 21.5% -- "the biggest growth quarter in American history."

"Those are big numbers. That would be incredible," Trump responded.

Print pool 10: More on mail-in ballots, last details, travel photo lid

"Mail in ballots are very dangerous. There's tremendous fraud involved and tremendous illegality," Trump said.

"People have to check you, they have to see, they're to look at you and check you and make sure that... I mean when you get thousands of ballots, and then put them in a bag and they just bring them in, who knows where they came from? It's so obvious. And frankly they should have voter ID. That's what they should have. You really want to know what the country wants? The country wants voter ID. Otherwise it's going to be subjected to tremendous illegality and fraud."

Asked what funding he might cut from Michigan, Trump said "I have very specific funding" but didn't identify what it was.

A couple last details: Others in the meeting included economic adviser Larry Kudlow and Deborah Birx. Participants in the meeting sat about five feet apart and none wore masks during the session with the press. Gov. Kelly, Birx and Kudlow all had blue surgical masks on the table next to them.

That's all for tonight. We have a travel photo lid.