Pool Reports of November 19, 2024

WH travel pool #1 - rolling to G20

Good morning from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on the final day of the G20 and the last day of Pres. Biden’s foreign trip through South America. It’s warm, sunny and breezy on the Copacabana beachfront by his RON.

POTUS’s motorcade left the RON at 9:49 am heading to the G20 site, Rio’s Museum of Modern Art. Pool did not see POTUS.

It is possible there will be a leader photo at some point today, a WH official says.

Bruce Reed was spotted standing near the motorcade as pool loaded.

As a reminder, here is a rundown of today’s schedule:

BRT

8:00 AM THE PRESIDENT receives the President’s Daily Brief
Closed Press

8:45 AM Out-of-Town Pool Call Time

10:00 AM THE PRESIDENT participates in day two of the G20 Summit
Museum of Modern Art

1:15 PM THE PRESIDENT holds a working lunch with President Lula da Silva of Brazil
Museum of Modern Art
Out-of-Town Pool Spray

3:20 PM THE PRESIDENT departs Rio De Janeiro, Brazil en route to Joint Base Andrews
Galeao International Airport
Out-of-Town Pool

EST

8:45 PM In-Town Pool Call Time

10:15 PM THE PRESIDENT arrives to Joint Base Andrews
Joint Base Andrews
In-Town Travel Pool

10:25 PM THE PRESIDENT departs Joint Base Andrews
Joint Base Andrews
In-Town Travel Pool

10:45 PM THE PRESIDENT arrives to The White House
South Grounds
In-Town Travel Pool

WH travel pool #2 - Arrival at G20

After an uneventful ride, POTUS motorcade arrived at the G20 site, Rio de Janeiro’s Modern Art Museum, at 9:58 am.

Along the way, the some people held Brazilian flags and there were also some holding Chinese flags.

(A WH official said there will likely be a few opportunities to hear from POTUS today as he’s engaging with leaders. So stay tuned.)

The WH sends the following:

Traveling with the President via motorcade en route to the Museum of Modern Art:

Secretary Antony Blinken, Department of State
Ambassador Elizabeth Frawley Bagley, Ambassador of the United States to the Federative Republic of Brazil
Jake Sullivan, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs
Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Jon Finer, Assistant to the President & Principal Deputy National Security Advisor
Ben LaBolt, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Communications
Karine Jean-Pierre, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Press Secretary
Ali Zaidi, Assistant to the President & National Climate Advisor
Ryan Montoya, Assistant to the President & Director of Scheduling & Advance
Ethan Rosenzweig, Acting Chief of Protocol of the United States
Ashley Williams, Deputy Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Strategic Outreach
Ariana Berengaut, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the National Security Advisor
Julia Reed, Special Assistant to the President & Deputy Director of Oval Office Operations
Charles Fromstein, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Director for Visits & Diplomatic Affairs, National Security Council
Jacob Spreyer, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the President

WH travel pool #3 - POTUS speaks at G20 working session on climate

Pool was brought into a working session of the G20 at 10:40 am local time as Biden had started his remarks on climate change. (Rio is two hours ahead of the east coast.) Pool heard him speak for about three minutes before being ushered out.

POTUS was seated in the middle of a large ring of desks. He read remarks about his commitment to combating climate change. He did not make news.

He said that developing countries need to have "enough firepower and access to capital," to slow climate change and protect their countries from its effects.

"We need to continue to give breathing space to countries that are weighed down by debt," he said.

"We as leaders need to find ways to flow money into their economies," POTUS said.

"The world's forests are some of the most powerful and valuable tools in the fight against climate change," POTUS said. "Once they're gone, it's hard to get them back."

"We must protect our forests."

Biden said that as a US senator he worked to allow debt forgiveness to countries that put resources to protecting their forests.

"We have so much more to do" with regard to adopting clean energy, Biden said.

"History is watching us," Biden said. "I urge us to keep the faith and keep going. this is the single greatest existential threat to humanity."

Toward the end, Biden said: "I have much more to say," and then stopped himself. "I'm not going to."

*

WH sends the following on POTUS arrival at the G20 site

Greeting the President on arrival to the Museum of Modern Art:

Ambassador Mauro Furlan, Chief of Foreign Ministry Protocol

Also, WH sends the following about Biden's working session comments

The President is participating in the third session of the G20 Summit, which is focused on sustainable development and clean energy. President Biden will highlight U.S. partnership and financing for developing countries’ clean energy transitions. He is also attending the presentation of the G20 Social Reports and the Closing Session of the G20.

U.S. Delegation
T.H. Antony Blinken, Secretary of State of the United States of America
T.H. Jon Finer, Principal Deputy National Security Advisor
T.H. Daleep Singh, Deputy Assistant to the President & Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economics & Deputy Director NEC

G20 Member Countries
H.E. Javier Gerardo Milei, President of the Argentine Republic
T.H. Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister of Australia
H.E. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of the Federative Republic of Brazil
T.R.H. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada
H.E. Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China
H.E. Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Macron
H.E. Olaf Scholz, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany
H.E. Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of the Republic of India
H.E. Prabowo Subianto, President of the Republic of Indonesia
H.E. Giorgia Meloni, President of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic
H.E. Shigeru Ishiba, Prime Minister of Japan
H.E. Yoon Suk Yeol, President of the Republic of Korea
H.E. Claudia Sheinbaum, President of the United Mexican States
H.E. Sergey Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation
H.H. Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
H.E. Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa
H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of the Republic of Turkiye
T.R.H. Keir Rodney Starmer, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission
H.E. Ursula von deer Leyen, President of the European Commission
H.E. Charles Michel, President of the European Council

Guest Countries:
H.E. Joao Manuel Goncalves Lourenco, President of the Republic of Angola
H.E. Luis Alberto Arce Catacora, President of the Plurinational State of Bolivia
H.E. Gabriel Boric Font, President of the Republic of Chile
H.E. Gustavo Petro, President of the Republic of Colombia
H.E. Adbel Fattah el-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt
H.E. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See
T.M.H. Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia
H.E. Jacinto Januario Maguni, Ambassador of the Republic of Mozambique to the Federative Republic of Brazil
H.E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
H.E. Jonas Gahr Store, Prime Minister of Norway
H.E. Santiago Pena, President of the Republic of Paraguay
H.E. MNasrcelo Rebelo de Sousa, President of the Portuguese Republic
H.H. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar
H.E. Lawrence Wong, Prime Minister and Minister for Finance of the Republic of Singapore
H.E. Pedro Sanchez, President of the Government of Spain
H.E. Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania
H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates
H.E. Omar Ignacio Paganini Herrera, Minister of Foreign Relations of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay
H.E. Pham Minh Chinh, Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam

International Organizations:
Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina, President of the African Development Bank Group
H.E. Sergio Diaz-Grandados, Executive President of the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean
Mr. Klass Knot, Chairman of the Financial Stability Board
Dr. Qu Dongyu, Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations
Mr. Ilan Goldfajn, President of the Inter-American Development Bank
Dr. Gilbert Houngbo, Director General of the International Labor Organization
Ms. Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director and Chairwoman of the International Monetary Fund
Mr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary General of the League of Arab States
H.E. Dilma Roussef, President of the New Development Bank
H.E. Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations
Ms. Rebecca Grynspan, Secretary General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
Ms. Audrey Azoulay, Director General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization
Mr. Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank Group
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization
Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization

WH travel pool #4 - G20 leader photo

Around 1:10 pm pool was ushered into to witness the official G20 family photo. Biden was among the last leaders to enter. Xi came in after Biden.

Biden stood in the front row near the center. He was next to Trudeau — and they chatted ahead of the photo. The leaders all clapped as the photo was taken. Then the leaders in the front all held hands.

Initially one still and one videographer was allowed in to the room by Brazilian officials. The WH advocated strongly and successfully for a print pooler to be added

More TK.

WH travel pool #5 - color from family photo holding outside Lula lunch

At 1:12 pm local Pool was ushered into a cavernous room at the G20 site that was set up for the leaders photo (also called the Family photo.). There was a backdrop that read: G20 Rio Summit.

Biden walked in to the room about 3 minutes after the pooler was let in, at about 1:15 pm local. India's Modi grabbed Biden's hand as the American leader stepped up on to the stage and took his place in the front row toward the center.

Biden chatted with Trudeau, who was next to him, as other leaders came in. At one point Trudeau pointed at Biden as the chatted.

About 70 seconds after Biden took his place, around 1:17 pm, Xi walked into the room and stepped up onto the stage.

After the leaders clapped and held hands for the photo, pool was ushered out.

Pool is now holding outside Biden's working lunch with Lula. It started at 1:27 pm per the WH.

While be pool was waiting the leaders photo, WCHA pooler Geoff Earle interviewed Brazilian Minister of Communications Paulo Pimenta about the confusion over yesterday's photo and why it was taken without Biden.

"Biden was talking to Trudeau," Pimenta said in Portuguese.

Q: But why didn't they wait for him?A: "Because Brazil is like this. When it's time, it's time." (this is an expression in Portuguese, meaning to be on time) "It's British punctuality. But it will be sorted out....The photo yesterday was not a G20 photo...everyone thought it was the official photo but it wasn't."

(Thanks to Samantha Pearson, a Portuguese speaking WSJ reporter for the translation )

*

From the WH on the working lunch participants

The President is holding a working lunch with President Lula da Silva of Brazil.

U.S. Delegation
T.H. Antony Blinken, Secretary of State of the United States of America
T.H. Jake Sullivan, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs

T.H. Jon Finer, Principal Deputy National Security Advisor
T.H. Elizabeth Frawley Bagley, Ambassador of the United States of America to the Federative Republic of Brazil
T.H. Christopher J. Dodd, Special Presidential Advisor for the Americas
T.H. Brian Nichols, Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs
Mr. Dan Erikson, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Western Hemisphere, National Security Council

Brazilian Delegation
H.E. Mauro Vieira, Minister of Foreign Affairs
H.E. Luiz Marinho, Minister of Labor and Employment
H.E. Marina Silva, Minister of Environment and Climate Change
H.E. Ambassador Celso Amorim, Senior Adviser to the President
H.E. Maria Luiza Viotti, .Ambassador of the Federative Republic of Brazil to the United States
H.E. Ambassador Fernando Igreja, Head of Presidential Protocol
H.E. Ambassador Audo Faleiro, Deputy Senior Adviser to the President

WH travel pool #6 - lunch with Lula

POTUS lunch with Lula started around 1:27 pm, per WH.

At 2:41 pm, pool was brought in to their meeting room. The two leaders were standing together and shaking hands. POTUS said "thank you" to Lula.

POTUS did not respond to several shouted questions, including one on why he is allowing Ukraine to fire long range weapons into Russia.

He also did not respond to a question about whether he still believes Trump is an existential threat to democracy.

A reporter also noted that potus has not taken questions from the press at all during his 6 day overseas trip (He technically did respond to one question from pooler Zolan Kanno-Youngs )

WH travel pool report #7 - rolling to airport

At 2:55 pm the Potus motorcade began rolling toward the airport in Rio. Pool did not see potus get into his armored limousine.

WH travel report #8 - arrival at airport

The potus motorcade arrived at the airport in Rio at 3:18 pm.

Biden boarded AF1 at 3:20 pm. No questions. We are wheels up soon.

And an explanation on an earlier report. Mr. Kanno-Youngs asked Biden a question related to how he and Xi would discuss North Korea .

Q:"How will the two nations address North Korea?"

POTUS: "Peacefully"

"Peacefully" Biden said, in audio caught by the network cameras and microphones.

(Thanks to Lauren Egan for an assist here.)

WH travel report #9 - Wheels up from Rio

After waiting on the tarmac in Rio for about 40 minutes, AF1 was wheels up at 4:08 pm local time. A US support plane was seen taxing behind AF1.

As Biden boarded AF1 40 minutes ago, he was asked about Ukraine’s strikes into Russia and asked why he hasn’t had a substantive exchange with reporters during his six day trip. As mentioned earlier, Biden didn’t respond. He boarded the big plane via the small stairs.

The WH sends the following:

Greeting the President on arrival to Galeao International Airport:

Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, Brazilian Ambassador to the United States
Ryan Rowlands, Consul General of U.S. Consulate Rio de Janeiro
Air Base Commander Colonel Fabio Silva

Traveling with Biden from Rio back to DC, per the WH

Traveling with the President aboard Air Force One en route to Joint Base Andrews:

Secretary Antony Blinken, Department of State
Ambassador Elizabeth Frawley Bagley, Ambassador of the United States to the Federative Republic of Brazil
Jake Sullivan, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs
Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Jon Finer, Assistant to the President & Principal Deputy National Security Advisor
Ben LaBolt, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Communications
Karine Jean-Pierre, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Press Secretary
Ali Zaidi, Assistant to the President & National Climate Advisor
Ryan Montoya, Assistant to the President & Director of Scheduling & Advance
Ethan Rosenzweig, Acting Chief of Protocol of the United States
Daleep Singh, Deputy Assistant to the President & Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economics & Deputy Director NEC
Ashley Williams, Deputy Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Strategic Outreach
Ariana Berengaut, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the National Security Advisor
Dan Benaim, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Director for Speechwriting and Strategic Initiatives
Dan Erikson, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Director for Western Hemisphere
Julia Reed, Special Assistant to the President & Deputy Director of Oval Office Operations
Charles Fromstein, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Director for Visits & Diplomatic Affairs, National Security Council
Jacob Spreyer, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the President

WH travel report #10 - wheels down at JBA

AF1 landed at JBA at 10:38 pm

The flight was a little bumpy at times but otherwise uneventful. There were no visitors to the press cabin in the back of the plane.

POTUS got off AF1 at 10:50 pm. He gave his daughter Ashley a hug.

POTUS did not take questions, including ones on long range weapons.

POTUS got into his armored limousine at 10:51 pm

The motorcade left at 10:53 pm.

This completes Biden’s six day trip to South America. Handing off to in town pool.

The WH send this note:

Greeting the President on arrival to JBA:

Colonel Angela Ochoa, Commander, 89th Airlift Wing

In-Town Pool Report 11/19 #1

Air Force One landed at JBA at about 10:42 p.m.

Pooler was in van and could not see the president walk off the plane.

Motorcade was rolling as of 10:54 p.m. Destination is the White House.

In-Town Pool Report 11/19 #2

President Biden’s motorcade arrived at the White House (South Lawn) at 11:16 p.m. Pooler could not see the president exit his car.

The White House Press Office called a travel/photo lid at 11:19 p.m.