Pool Reports of October 30, 2021

Travel pool report #1 - Motorcade rolling

Buongiorno from Rome.

I will be your pooler for this first day of the G20 summit. See below the WH guidance for the day.

The POTUS motorcade left Villa Taverna, the U.S. ambassador's residence at 11.14 AM and we are now en route to La Nuvola, the convention center where the G20 leaders are meeting.

We did not see the president.

11:35 AM THE PRESIDENT greets with His Excellency Mario Draghi, Prime Minister of the Italian Republic
La Nuvola, Rome, Italy
Restricted Out-of-Town Pool Coverage

11:40 AM THE PRESIDENT takes a family photo with other G20 leaders
La Nuvola, Rome, Italy
Restricted Out-of-Town Pool Coverage

11:45 AM THE PRESIDENT participates in the G20 Leaders' Summit Plenary Session 1
La Nuvola, Rome, Italy
Restricted Out-of-Town Pool Spray at the Top

3:00 PM THE PRESIDENT attends a leaders' side event on supporting women-owned businesses
La Nuvola, Rome, Italy
Closed Press

3:45 PM THE PRESIDENT meets with The Right Honorable Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, His Excellency Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, and Her Excellency Dr. Angela Merkel, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany to discuss the path to resuming negotiations for a return to the JCPOA and our shared concerns about the state of Iran's nuclear program
La Nuvola, Rome, Italy
Closed Press

8:50 PM THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY attend a gala dinner with other Heads of State
Quirinale Palace, Rome, Italy
Closed Press

Travel pool report #2 - Arrival at the G20 venue

After an uneventful ride in the streets of Rome, which let us catch a glimpse of the Foro Traiano and other landmarks of the Eternal City, the motorcade reached La Nuvola (« the cloud »), the convention center where the G20 summit is taking place, at 11.34 AM.

We did not see the president enter the building.

Please note that access is restricted and your pooler will not be with the president when he meets with the other leaders.

I will try to share color and details later.

Here is the official G20 YouTube Channel in case useful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jC5VnzuzSxw

Travel pool report #3 - G20/Details about arrival, family photo, plenary

Rome, Italy

Many thanks to co-pooler Annie Linskey (Washington Post), who shares this about the arrival of POTUS at La Nuvola, where the G20 summit is taking place.

The convention center, a rectangular glass building encasing a cloud-like structure, is located in "EUR/Esposizione Universale Romana", a neighborhood created by Benito Mussolini to glorify his fascist regime.

The president was greeted by the Prime Minister of Italy Mario Draghi at 11:33 am. Draghi walked towards Biden, they chatted briefly on the red carpet then walked up to a platform where they posed for photos.

POTUS arrived around 11:40 am for the family photo, he was standing on the far left near the French president Emmanuel Macron, who greeted him warmly.

UK's Prime Minister Boris Johnson was the final leader to arrive for the photos. First responders were brought in, and several of them took selfies with Biden at the end.

Pool then moved to the spray at top of the first plenary session of this G20 summit. Biden was already there when pool arrived at 11:53 am.

POTUS stood near his seat at a massive table shaped in an oval shaped ring. Biden sat down at his chair and looked briefly at a white folder. He then chatted with Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who had a desk behind him. Then the president walked over toward Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and whispered something that pool could not hear.

Pool was asked to leave at 11:57 am.

According to photos taken before the pool arrived, the president also interacted briefly with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and UK's Boris Johnson.

Travel pool report #4 Plenary wraps

Onpassing from the WH

On background as a SAO:The President just wrapped up plenary one. Most of the Leaders were in person with others there virtually. The Leaders all came out in support of a global minimum tax. The President emphasized the importance of this historic deal during his intervention. The President also mentioned that while we don't see eye to eye on every issue, we can tackle shared interests.

The President underscored his commitment to ending the global pandemic and securing an inclusive global economic recovery, including by supporting developing countries through debt relief and strengthening reallocation of SDRs. He reminded G20 Leaders that new pandemics can arise any time so it is important that we strengthen global health systems and do more to create the global health security infrastructure to make sure we are prepared against the next pandemic.

The President stressed the need for balanced, well supplied, and competitive global energy markets so we don't undermine this critical moment of economic recovery.

Travel pool report #5 - Spray on top of Iran meeting

Shortly before 4 pm the pool was brought to a corner in the convention center where the president was standing with Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel, UK's Boris Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron.

The four leaders posed for photos in front of flags before having a meeting about returning to negotiations with Iran on the nuclear program.

Asked when he would like the talks to resume, Biden seemed to answer but your pool was standing far away and it was difficult to hear.

Will try to get a clean quote.

Pool was ushered out at 4.07 pm and is now leaving the convention center.

Shouted questions

These are rough quotes, more tk and pl

Travel pool report #5a - Quote during spray on top of Iran meeting

White House TV let the pool listen to the audio of Biden during the spray with Merkel, Johnson and Macron.

After listening to it, this is what several poolers including myself heard:

The question (Jeff Mason, Reuters) was "When would you like the talks with Iran to resume?"

Biden answered "They're scheduled to resume."

Travel pool report #6 - Details about timing of G20 events

The White House shares these details (local time in Rome)

2:53 PM Plenary Session 1 ends

3:46 PM Leaders' Side Event ends

Travel Pool report #7 - Iran meeting/Attendees

From the White House

In attendance for the President's meeting with The Right Honorable Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, His Excellency Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, and Her Excellency Dr. Angela Merkel, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany:

U.S. Manifest
The President
T.H. Antony Blinken, Secretary of State
T.H. Jake Sullivan, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs

France Manifest
H.E. Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic
H.E. Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister for European and Foreign Affairs
H.E. Emmanuel Bonne, Foreign Policy Adviser to the President of France

Germany Manifest
H.E. Dr. Angela Merkel, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany
H.E. Olaf Schulz, Vice-Chancellor and Minister of Finance
Mrs. Christina Beinhoff, Foreign Policy Advisor

United Kingdom Manifest
The Right Honorable Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Mr. David Quarrey, Deputy National Security Advisor
Mr. Dan Rosenfield, Chief of Staff

Travel Pool report #7a- Correcting spelling mistake for Scholz/Iran meeting/Attendees

White House shares that there was a spelling mistake in the list of attendees it shared (see below)

From WH

Correct spelling is

H.E. Olaf Scholz, Vice-Chancellor and Minister of Finance

Travel pool report #8 - Departing G20 venue

The motorcade left the convention center in Rome at 5.41 pm local time and we are now rolling.

Travel pool report #9 - Near the US embassy in Rome

The motorcade parked near the US embassy in Rome at about 6.05 PM local time.

We did not see the Beast or the President and I am asking about his schedule.

Pool is now holding.

This was a very pleasant ride as sun was setting over Rome, driving past the

Colosseum and other ancient sites. Hundreds of passers by were lining up the streets. Some shouted but your pooler could not hear what they were saying.

The motorcade also drove by a church where a wedding apparently was or had been taking place. Guests, all dressed up, were gathered outside the church, watching the motorcade.

Travel pool report #10 - Mass

Per the WH

The President is attending mass at St Patrick's Church.

Travel pool report #11 - Leaving church

The motorcade started moving again at 6:55 PM. Your pooler did not see the president exit the church.

I have asked details about who Biden was attending mass with, will share if/when I get them.

Travel pool report #12 - SAO about Merkel bilat, Erdogan bilat, oil supply

Here some very rough quotes from a background briefing with a Senior Administration official.

More tk

SAO told us Biden will have a bilateral meeting "tomorrow" with president Erdogan of Turkey.

Also mentioned POTUS had a brief meeting today with chancellor Merkel and vice-chancellor Olaf Scholz who is likely to succeed her.

SAO told us that the president "made the point that we need to see adequate supply of energy in this moment as we make the long term transition to a carbon free economy."

Travel pool report #12a - SAO briefing, more quotes

Here are more quotes from a background briefing with a Senior Administration official on Rome.
Many thanks to copooler Annie Linskey from the Washington Post

SAO said Biden will have a bilateral meeting "tomorrow morning" with president Erdogan of Turkey.

SAO said that if Erdogan had followed through on his recent threat to expel diplomats the bilat would have been in jeopardy.

"I'm not actually even sure we would have had the meeting if he had gone ahead and expelled," the SAO said.

"certainly the President will indicate that we need to find a way to avoid crises like that one going forward," the SAO said about the threat. "Precipitous action is not going to benefit the US Turkey partnership and alliance."

The SAO said the following topics will be covered: Syria, Libya, Turkey's desire for various defense systems including the s400 system and the country's ambition to acquire F16s.

Also mentioned POTUS had a "brief" meeting today with chancellor Merkel and vice-chancellor Olaf Scholz. It was an "opportunity" for POTUS to speak with Scholdz who is trying to form a government right now.

SAO told us that today the president "raised the issue of energy prices" and "made the point that we need to see adequate supply of energy in this moment as we make the long term transition to a carbon free economy."

"we're using this opportunity with all of the world's key energy consumers to do some intensive consultations about how we see the current picture and then to talk about how we can all effectively advocate to OPEC plus to do the needful when it comes to supply and then if they don't, what could come next has begun to be a topic of conversation."

The SAO did not share more details, saying: "I don't want to front run that."

On supply chain issues the president will make "a couple of announcements" about "our own national stockpile of critical minerals and metals" among other things. He will ask world leaders to work together to resolve the bottlenecks and to increase transparency.

on China said US "found strong convergence" with leaders of Europe "on the nature of the challenge"

In a meeting about Iran today POTUS had a "very detailed" conversation with Merkel, Macron and Johnson. President has "conviction" that "diplomatic solution is the best solution" to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon.

"We would like them to begin as urgently as possible" he said about these talks.

At this meeting the leaders also "touched base" about Ukraine and "all of them recommitted to Ukraine s territorial integrity and sovereignty"

About how allies now see the United States "I think our allies believe that we have to lock in progress as much as possible while there is a president who is a deeply committed transatlanticist in office."

More quotes will follow about climate and nuclear posture

Travel pool report 12b - Adding SAO quotes about climate and nuclear posture

Last batch of quotes from a SAO briefing your pool got here in Rome.

Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have.

Climate
"What we really hope to lock in is a G20 commitment to end overseas financing of coal"
"We would like to see some positive language around decarbonizing … power sector"
The U.S. also would like to see "more countries sign up to the global methane pledge"
Says a few elements about climate in the communiqué "are still being negotiated"
Says "tomorrow is about help build momentum" before COP 26 in Glasgow

Corporate minimum tax: says "that's done"

About the US "nuclear posture"
Says White House reviewing because that is what a new administration does after a presidential election.
"We will consult closely with allies and partners" in order to explain the next steps
"We've heard a lot from them about the doctrine question"

Travel pool report #13 - Holding at Villa Taverna

At 7.11 PM pool is holding in a van next to the Villa Taverna, residence of the U.S. ambassador.

A reminder that according to the WH guidance the President and the First Lady will tonight attend a gala dinner with other Heads of State at the Quirinale Palace in Rome, Italy.

This event will be closed press.

This dinner is supposed to start around 8.50 pm local time.

Travel Pool Report #14 - On the move

Motorcade left the Villa Taverna and is rolling at about 8:48 PM.

Travel pool report #15 - Quirinale

At about 8:58 PM the motorcade reached the Quirinale, the palace where the G20 gala dinner is taking place.

Your pooler did not seen the president.

Pool van rolling.

Travel pool report #16 - Details about dinner including menu

From the WH

The President of the United States Joseph R. Biden Jr. will be seated next to the European Union Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen and President Sergio Mattarella of Italy.

The First Lady will be seated next to the President of France Emmanuel Macron

Tonight's dinner menu will be:
Salmon marinated with herbs and fennel
Risotto with pumpkin and white truffle
Sea Bass with roasted artichoke, potatoes, and other vegetables with a carrot puree and a mayonnaise-based sauce with saffron
Tangerine Cream Dessert

Travel pool report #17 - Leaving Quirinale

?At about 11.01 PM Rome time POTUS motorcade left the palace where the gala dinner for the G20 leaders was taking place.

We are rolling

Travel pool report #18 - Villa Taverna and lid

?The motorcade arrived at the U.S. ambassador's residence at 11.09 PM local time.

At 11.11 PM the White House called a travel/photo lid.

It was a pleasure being your pooler today.

Buonanotte a tutti