Pool Reports of October 5, 2023

In-Town Pool Report #1: Lid Until 11:30

The White House has called a lid until 11:30.

In-Town Pool Report #2: Oval Office/Border Wall Quote

Pool walked into the Oval Office at 12:19pm.

President Biden was seated by the fireplace with members of his national security team seated on the couches.

He was asked about the border wall.

"The money was appropriated for the border wall. I tried to get them to reappropriate, to redirect that money. They didn't. They wouldn't. In the meantime, there's nothing under the law other than they have to use the money for what it was appropriated for. I can't stop that," he said.

Asked a follow up about whether he thought the border wall was effective, he replied, "no."

Biden's new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., was to his right.

Pool was ushered out a few minutes later. Check quotes against transcript.

In-Town Pool Report #3: Oval Office Participants

White House passes along the following:

Participants
Secretary Lloyd Austin, Department of Defense
Director William J. Burns, Central Intelligence Agency
Jon Finer, Assistant to the President and Principal Deputy National Security Advisor
General Charles Brown, USAF, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

This will be the President's first national security meeting that includes Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Charles Q. Brown Jr. in his new role.

In-Town Pool Report #4: Two Minutes

Two minute warning till briefing

In-Town Pool Report #5: Briefing Concludes

The briefing ended at 2:00pm after the press secretary took numerous questions.

In-Town Pool Report #6: Lid

The White House has called a lid.