Pool Reports by Francesca Chambers, USA Today
| Sent: | Reports: |
| June 30, 2022 10:03 CEST |
Travel Pool Report #1: Hotel departure The president's motorcade left the hotel en route to IFEMA at 10:00 am local time. A couple of quick movements are expected upon arrival, including a North Atlantic Council session with a pool spray at the top. More TK. |
| June 30, 2022 10:17 CEST |
Travel Pool Report #2: NATO summit arrival The motorcade arrived at the IFEMA at 10:16 am local time for President Biden's final day of events at the NATO Summit in Madrid. Along the motorcade route local residents lined the street snapping photos. President Biden is running slightly behind this morning. Daily guidance had him attending and delivering remarks at the North Atlantic Council Session #3 at 10:00 am, which is when he departed the RON. No word on what led to the delay. |
| June 30, 2022 10:32 CEST |
Travel Pool Report #3: NAC spray POTUS entered the NAC session at 10:20 am local time. Some photographers were allowed to observe a greeting between NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg and POTUS close up --- but the print pooler was required to stand on a platform on the far side of the large room and heard nothing. The spray lasted about 4 minutes, with Stoltenberg giving brief remarks after the two men sat down. Pool was immediately escorted out of the room and is being taken to a hold until the press conference. The pool was not allowed to remain in the room for the president's remarks. |
| June 30, 2022 10:47 CEST |
Travel Pool Report #4: more color and Stoltenberg remarks Our friends in the stills community, who had a close view of the president, said that after POTUS took his seat next to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the leaders discussed what they did the previous evening. Pool has no audio of that conversation. At the top of the NAC session, Stoltenberg said: "Today we are discussing challenges in our southern neighborhood and the fight against terrorism. The Middle East, North Africa and the Sahara regions face interconnected security, demographic economic and political challenges, aggravated by the impact of climate change and food insecurity caused by Russia's war on Ukraine. "It is in our interest to continue working with our close partners in the south to fight shared challenges together. Today we will discuss how NATO can address the causes of instability and step up our efforts in the fight against terrorism." Pool is now in a hold room at the NATO Summit site, where it expects to remain until the president's afternoon press conference. |
| June 30, 2022 11:06 CEST |
Travel Pool Report #5: Background on POTUS remarks The White House confirms that POTUS spoke after pool was no longer in room. Per the White House, he began speaking at about 10:50 am. BACKGROUND: In attendance for the President's remarks at the North Atlantic Council Session 3 with Allies: Run of Show: Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg |
| June 30, 2022 11:14 CEST |
Travel Pool Report #6: POTUS greets senators The White House says that the president also greeted senators who are in attendance at the conference. PER THE WH: Participating in a greet with the President: Thom Tillis, U.S. Senator (NC) |
| June 30, 2022 11:49 CEST |
Pool Report #7: Kirby OTR with pool NSC Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby stopped by the pool hold for roughly 15 minutes of pleasantries and off the record conversation as the president wraps up his trip. |
| June 30, 2022 13:53 CEST |
Travel Pool Report #8: heading to press conference The pool is heading to POTUS' press conference. It's scheduled to begin at 2pm, but events at the summit are running behind. It's unclear currently how delayed the news conference might be. White House says it will keep the pool updated on timing. Also, the White House sends the following correction to its list of participants in the morning NAC session: Amending an earlier pool note sent on session 3 attendees – the current Chairman of the NATO Military Committee is lieutenant admiral Rob Bauer, not Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach. |
| June 30, 2022 14:26 CEST |
Travel Pool Report #9: Press seated//no timing update At 2:08 pm U.S. press were let into the auditorium for the president's news conference, which still has not started. The White House says it does not have an update on timing. Among the U.S. officials seated in front of pool are Amos Hochstein, special envoy and coordinator for international energy affairs; Rufus Gifford, chief of protocol; Adrienne Watson, NSC spokeswoman and David Fabrycki, director for NATO and European affairs at NSC. Pool was asked to socially distance, and every other seat has an image on it that indicates it is not be sat on. The press conference will be streaming live on the White House website, and pool will need to depart imminently when it concludes. Will send additional color, as warranted, from inside the room. |
| June 30, 2022 14:54 CEST |
Pool Report #10: Two-minutes to POTUS [APP Note: No additional text was included in this report.] |
| June 30, 2022 15:00 CEST |
Travel Pool Report #11: POTUS begins NATO news conference President Biden entered the auditorium his NATO news conference at 2:56 local time. A couple minutes before he arrived, Maisy and Finnegan Biden entered the room and took seats in the front row. National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and White House Communications Director Kate Bedingfield are also seated in the front row of the news conference. Lastly, David Fabrycky is director for NATO and European affairs at NSC. His last name is spelled with a Y, not an I, pooler sincerely regrets the error. |
| June 30, 2022 15:35 CEST |
Travel Pool Report #12: departing NATO President Biden ended his news conference at 3:23 PM local time after calling on 5 reporters, who questioned the president about a range of topics -- including abortion rights, Ukraine, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the direction of the country. Pool was rushed out and loaded into vans. POTUS departed from the NATO Summit at 3:33 PM. The motorcade is heading to the airport. |
| June 30, 2022 16:07 CEST |
Travel Pool Report #13: POTUS airport departure in Madrid President Biden arrived at the airport in Madrid at 3:54 pm local time. He had already exited the motorcade when pool rushed over from vans at 3:58 pm. He was talking to Spanish ambassador Julissa Reynoso when pool arrived. She is the first lady's former chief of staff. Maisy and Finnegan Biden exited the Beast and walked up the front steps of AF1 as POTUS moved out of pool's view/earshot to greet and speak with advance staff. He put his aviators on to take photos with the group and left them on to board the plane. He waved at the top several times and mouthed "thank you" to staff on the ground before boarding at roughly 4:03 pm. Also, a man was blowing kisses at the president's motorcade as it turned into the airport. Departure imminent. |
| June 30, 2022 16:11 CEST |
Travel Pool Report #14: wheels up AF1 was rolling down the runway at 4:10 pm local time. The WH shares the following Greeting the President upon departure from Madrid: The President is also greeting with advance staff. Traveling on Air Force One with the President en route Washington, D.C: Jake Sullivan, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs |
| June 30, 2022 17:23 EDT |
Travel Pool Report #15: Wheels down AF1 was wheels down at JBA at 5:15 pm EDT. No POTUS sightings since departure from Madrid. Karine Jean-Pierre gaggled OTR for about 25 minutes during the flight. |
| June 30, 2022 17:32 EDT |
Travel Pool Report #16: M1 departure President Biden deplaned AF1 at JBA at 5:25 pm EDT. He shook hands at the bottom of the stairs with a greeter before walking to M1. He was followed off the plane by Maisy and Finnegan Biden. At 5:32 pm M1 is rolling. |
Pool Reports below by Jim Puzzanghera, The Boston Globe
| Sent: | Reports: |
| June 30, 2022 17:02 EDT |
In-town pool report #1: POTUS arrival on schedule Good afternoon from the White House, where the press office says the president is on schedule for an on-time arrival back from Madrid at 5:40 pm. |
| June 30, 2022 17:20 EDT |
In-town pool report #2: earlier POTUS arrival The president has landed early at Joint Base Andrews and the pool is being told to gather for his arrival back at the White House five minutes earlier at 5:25 p.m. |
| June 30, 2022 17:50 EDT |
In-town pool report #3: POTUS arrival at WH Marine One touched down at the White House at 5:43 pm. President Biden stepped off at 5:46, wearing a blue blazer, open collared light blue shirt and aviator sunglasses. He's greeting visitors at a rope line awaiting the arrival. Pool is waiting for the chance to ask questions. |
| June 30, 2022 18:08 EDT |
In-town pool report #4: No comments from POTUS President Biden spent about 15 minutes chatting, shaking hands and posing for pictures with some of about 50 staff awaiting his arrival. Then he entered the White House without taking any questions from reporters. |
| June 30, 2022 18:13 EDT |
In-town pool report #5: More arrival details Traveling with the President on Marine One en route White House: Finnegan Biden Also, First Lady Jill Biden came out as President Biden was finishing greeting staff with his grandson Beau Biden to welcome him. |
| June 30, 2022 18:25 EDT |
In-town pool report #6: Lid The White House has called a lid. Have a nice evening. |
Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Pool Reports of June 30, 2022 Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/356680