Pool Reports of May 25, 2024

WH travel pool 1 - motorcade to Delaware Air National Guard base

The press van joined onto the rear of the presidential motorcade as it left the street by the Biden residence at 0738.

We are on the way to the Delaware Air National Guard base to start our trip to the U.S. Military Academy in upstate New York where the president will speak at the commencement ceremony.

WH travel pool 2 — boarding AF1

The president climbed up the stairs and entered Air Force 1 at 0748. He did not engage with the pool gathered beneath the port wing.

The motorcade trip was brief and uneventful.

We are flying the smaller version of Air Force 1, the modified Boeing 757.

We should be airborne within a few minutes.

Per the WH press office:

Traveling with the President via motorcade en route to Delaware Air National Guard Base:

Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Ashley Williams, Deputy Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Strategic Outreach
Terry Wolff, Special Assistant to the President & NSC Senior Director for the Middle East & North Africa
Jacob Spreyer, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the President

Traveling with the President aboard Air Force One en route to Stewart Air National Guard Base:

Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
John Kirby, Assistant to the President & National Security Communications Advisor
Ryan Montoya, Assistant to the President & Director of Scheduling & Advance
Ashley Williams, Deputy Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Strategic Outreach
Andrew Bates, Deputy Assistant to the President & Senior Deputy Press Secretary
Terry Wolff, Special Assistant to the President & NSC Senior Director for the Middle East & North Africa
Megan Rooney, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Presidential Speechwriter
Jacob Spreyer, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the President

WH travel pool 3 — arrival at Stewart Field

Air Force 1 touched down at Stewart Airport outside of Newburgh, NY, at 0836, after the 36-minute flight.

President Biden came down the staircase at 0854, saluting the air national guard base commanding officers and Reps Ryan and Womack, who greeted him at the base of the stairs. He then walked to Marine 1, which was parked about 30 yards away, accompanied by Ryan and Womack.

Press is being led to Blackhawk helicopters for the short hop to West Point.

Per the WH press office:

Greeting the President upon arrival to Stewart Air National Guard Base:

Colonel Ryan Dannemann, Commander
Chief Master Sergeant Joe Cincotta, Command Chief and Senior Enlisted Leader
Rep. Steve Womack (AR-03), Board of Visitors Chair, United States Military Academy
Rep. Pat Ryan (NY-18)

WH travel pool 3a - travelers list

Per the WH press office:

Traveling with the President aboard Marine One en route to West Point Landing Zone:

Rep. Steve Womack (AR-03), Board of Visitors Chair, United States Military Academy
Rep. Pat Ryan (NY-18)
Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Jacob Spreyer, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the President

WH travel pool 4 - arrival at West Point

Marine 1 set down on The Plain, the parade grounds overlooking the Hudson River, at West Point at 0923.

President Biden stepped out of the helicopter directly in front of the home of the West Point superintendent, who had walked the hundred or so paces across the street and lawn to greet him with a salute.

The pair walked into the residence, decked out in red, white and blue bunting.

It is a spectacular late spring morning here — sunny with some wispy high clouds.

Per the WH press office:

Greeting the President upon arrival to West Point Landing Zone:

Lieutenant General Steve Gilland, Superintendent of the United States Military Academy

WH travel pool 5 — en route to stadium

The president and superintendent Gilland walked out of the home, called Quarters 100, at 0940 and stepped into the presidential limousine parked in front.

Pool is being hustled to the press vans for the drive to the stadium.

WH travel pool 6 - arrival at stadium

The motorcade arrived at the football stadium at 0945.

Pool was led into the building, across the field to the press risers.

A stage has been set up on the eastern sideline for the ceremony. Family and friends of graduating cadets are in the grandstands behind the western sideline.

The electronic message board on the southern end zone reads "CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2024" beside a countdown timer running down the minutes to the start.

The cadets are filing in now in full dress uniforms.

WH travel pool 7 — photo line

Per the WH press office:

Participating in a photoline with the President at the United States Military Academy:

Representative Steve Womack (AR-13), Board of Visitors Chair, United States Military Academy
Representative Pat Ryan (NY-18)
General Randy George, Chief of Staff,
The Honorable Christine Wormuth, Secretary of the Army
Brigadier General Shane Reeves, Dean of the Academic Board
Major General Lori Robinson, Commandant of Cadets
Colonel Khanh Diep, USMA Chief of Staff
Colonel Gretchen Nunez, Military Athletic Director
Colonel James Raftery, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Depart Head
Colonel John Hartke, Physical and Nuclear Engineering Department Head
Colonel Suzanne Nielson, Social Science Department Head
Command Sergeant Major Robert Craven, Corps of Cadets Senior Enlisted Soldier
Colonel (Doctor) Laura Dawson, USMA Head Medical Doctor
Colonel Mark Federovich, Military Instruction Department Head
Colonel Michael "TK" Kelly, Deputy, Commandant of Cadets
Colonel Michael Kloepper, Brigade Tactical Officer
Colonel Christopher Mayer, English and Philosophy Department Head
Colonel Winston Williams, Law Department Head
Colonel Julia Coxen, Systems and Engineering Department Head
Colonel Mark Read, Geography and Environmental Engineering Department Head
Colonel (Chaplain) Keith Goode, USMA Chaplain
Colonel John Baskerville, Foreign Language Department Head
Colonel Nicholas Gist, Physical Education Department Head
Colonel Gail Yoshitani, History Department Head
Colonel Aaron Hill, Civil and Mechanical Engineering Department Head
Colonel Michael Scioletti, Math Department Head
Colonel Corey James, Chemistry and Life Science Department Head
Colonel Richard Gash, Vice Dean of Resources
Colonel Todd Woodruff, Behavioral Science and Leadership Department Hea
Colonel (Retired) Mark Bieger, Director of Association of Graduates
Colonel Travis Robison, West Point Garrison Commander
Command Sergeant Major Michael Frasier, Senior Enlisted Advisor
Colonel Terry Kelly, USMA Public Affairs Office
Colonel Marcus Wildy, USMA Operations
Lieutenant Colonel Rance Lee, Director of Admissions

Also, a reminder that this event is being carried live at the White House we site:

WH travel pool 8 — Biden takes stage

The president took the stage for the ceremony at 1027.

The event is being carried live at the White House web site and also at C- SPAN.

WH travel pool 9 - Biden remarks begin

The president stepped to the lectern and began his speech at 1038.

Those are being carried live at the White House site and C-SPAN.

WH travel pool 10 - Biden speech over

The president spoke for 20 minutes about today's foreign policy challenges and America's role in the world as well as the need to protect democracy at home."

He called the graduating class: "Guardians, and I mean this, guardians of American democracy."

A few quotes to come.

WH travel pool 11 -- quotes from USMA speech

Some quotes and summaries of the president's remarks:

Biden spoke about Ukraine and Vladimir Putin's assumption that NATO would not be able to unify and support the country from his invasion.

"Putin was certain that NATO would fracture."

"Instead, the greatest defense alliance in the history of the world is stronger than ever."

The president also spoke both about US efforts to help Palestinians in Gaza with food drops and the construction of a pier while also helping Israel fend off a massive missile and drone attack from Iran, and then worked to de-escalate the situation.

As he has done previously, he called the United States "the indispensable nation" and the "the world's only superpower."

Biden also urged cadets "to hold fast" to the oaths they took when they entered the academy:
"Not a political party, not to a president, but to the Constitution of the United States of America, against all enemies, foreign and domestic," with emphasis on the word "and."

(That line drew enthusiastic applause from the grandstands."

"Freedom is not free. It requires constant vigilance. From the very beginning, nothing was guaranteed about our democracy in America. Every generation has an obligation to defend it, to protect it, to preserve it."

The president near the opening of his remarks repeated a previous story that he had been given a Naval Academy appointment but decided to go to the University of Delaware instead.

WH travel pool 12 — leaving stadium

The president finished shaking the hands of the 1,036 graduating cadets at 1215, 70 minutes after he began.

Pool was escorted back to the motorcade as prepare to leave West Point.

WH travel pool 13 - flying back to Stewart

The president boarded Marine 1 at 1241 after the very short motorcade from Michelin Stadium back to The Plain.

Pool is being escorted to their Blackhawks.

WH travel pool 13a — M1 travelers

Per the WH press office:

Traveling with the President aboard Marine One en route to Stewart Air National Guard Base:

Rep. Pat Ryan (NY-18)
Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Jacob Spreyer, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the President

WH travel pool 14 — back on AF1

President Biden climbed up the stairs back aboard Air Force 1 at 1307. He was wearing a black ball cap he received at West Point with the number "46" on the side. He waved to the pool but did not take questions.

The flight back on the helicopters from West Point took about 10 minutes, including the short taxi to where the plane was parked.

We should be in the air within minutes for the flight back to New Castle.

Per the WH press office:

Traveling with the President aboard Air Force One en route to Delaware Air National Guard Base:

Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
John Kirby, Assistant to the President & National Security Communications Advisor
Ryan Montoya, Assistant to the President & Director of Scheduling & Advance
Ashley Williams, Deputy Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Strategic Outreach
Andrew Bates, Deputy Assistant to the President & Senior Deputy Press Secretary
Terry Wolff, Special Assistant to the President & NSC Senior Director for the Middle East & North Africa
Megan Rooney, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Presidential Speechwriter
Jacob Spreyer, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the President

WH travel pool 15 — back in New Castle

Air Force 1 was back on the ground at the Delaware Air National Guard base in New Castle at 1349 following a smooth 32-minute flight.

The president did not engage with the pool after he came down the stairs at 1400. He stepped into his waiting SUV and at 1403 his motorcade is rolling.

WH travel pool 16 — POTUS back at residence

At 1414 the motorcade was back at the Biden home.

Uneventful trip from the airfield. Pool did see a half dozen pro-Palestinian protesters at the intersection where the pool previously would hold for secret Service sweeps. They held signs and may have chanting, although it was tough to hear inside the van.

WH travel pool report 17 — motorcade underway

The pool van at 1711 again joined in at the rear of the presidential motorcade as we leave the Biden residence.

WH travel pool 17a — fashion update

Upon reviewing the AP photographer's image taken with a long lens, this update:

The president is wearing khaki pants, a tan blazer over a light shirt, and appears not to be wearing a tie.

The church, as described during previous visits, has yellow painted exterior walls and brown wooden doors.

WH travel pool 18 — church

At 1715, the motorcade arrived at St. Joseph's on the Brandywine Catholic Church.

Pool saw the president walking toward the entrance wearing a light tan suit.

Pool is holding in the van.

WH travel pool report 19 - leaving church

The president left the church at 1751, chatted for a few minutes with the priest just outside the front doors, and made his way to his SUV in the near parking lot.

At 1757 the motorcade is moving again.

Pool Report Numbering Errata Sheet: pool report 17a should have numbered 18a. And the president's shirt is "light blue," not "light." Apologies.

WH travel pool report 20 — JoS.A.Bank

At 1800 the president stepped out of his Suburban and into the JoS A Bank clothier in a strip mall not far from his home.

Pool is in the parking lot.

WH travel pool report 21 - leaving menswear store

The president's clothes shopping has evidently concluded and his motorcade is rolling again at 1851.

He stepped out of the store at 1850, carrying both his blazer and his Aviators. Unclear if he purchased anything.

WH travel pool 22 — back at Biden home and lid

The motorcade arrived back at the president's residence at 1856.

As we passed the pro-Palestinian protesters' corner, their number had grown from about a half dozen to about a dozen and a half.

The press office announced a lid as we passed the president's home.

The pool van is now headed back to the press hotel.