Pool Reports of June 12, 2024

Supplemental Pool #1 - Motorcade Rolling

President Biden's motorcade began moving from his Wilmington home at 7:42 AM. Pool did not see POTUS enter his vehicle.

Supplemental Pool #2 - Delaware Departure

President Biden's motorcade arrived at Delaware Air National. Guard Base at 7:51 AM.

POTUS boarded Marine One at 7:53 AM. Pool was positioned too far away to ask questions.

Marine One was wheels up at 8 AM.

Handing off to out of town pool.

From the White House:

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

Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Josh Geltzer, Deputy Counsel to the President & Legal Advisor to the NSC
Jacob Spreyer, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the President

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

Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Emilie Simons, Deputy Assistant to the President & Senior Deputy Press Secretary
Josh Geltzer, Deputy Counsel to the President & Legal Advisor to the NSC
Jacob Spreyer, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the President

in-town pool report #1 - AF1 gaggle starting at 11 a.m.

Pool was just informed by the press office:

Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will gaggle aboard Air Force One at 11:00 AM EDT.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/live/

Out of Town Pool Report #1 - JBA, en route to Italy

Good morning. Marine One landed at Joint Base Andrews at 8:49 a.m. ET.

President Biden emerged from the aircraft wearing a dark suit, no tie and his aviator sunglasses. He was followed by deputy COS Annie Tomasini and his granddaughter, Finnegan Biden.

He did not stop to respond to shouted questions about the conviction of his son, Hunter, and boarded Air Force One at 8:54a.

Biden is traveling to Brindisi, Italy, for the annual Group of Seven nations summit. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan will brief during the 9-hour flight along with Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. We expect the gaggle to be held roughly mid-flight.

The White House passes along this list of travelers:

Traveling with the President aboard Air Force One en route to Brindisi, Italy:

Jake Sullivan, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Steve Ricchetti, Assistant to the President & Counselor to the President
Anita Dunn, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President
Karine Jean-Pierre, Assistant to the President & Press Secretary
Ryan Montoya, Assistant to the President & Director of Scheduling & Advance
Ethan Rosenzweig, Acting Chief of Protocol of the United States
Amos Hochstein, Deputy Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President for Energy and Investment, National Security Council
Ashley Williams, Deputy Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Strategic Outreach
Mike Carpenter, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Director for Europe
Ariana Berengaut, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the National Security Advisor
Megan Rooney, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Presidential Speechwriter
Adrienne Watson, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Director for Press and NSC Spokesperson
Herbie Ziskend, Special Assistant to the President & Deputy Director of Communications
Jordan Finkelstein, Special Assistant to the President & Chief of Staff to the Senior Advisor to the President
Jacob Spreyer, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the President
Julia Reed, Special Assistant to the President & Deputy Director of Oval Office Operations
Charles Fromstein, Senior Director for Visits and Diplomatic Affairs, National Security Council

Out of Town Pool Report #2 - AF1 lands in Italy

Air Force One was wheels down at Brindisi Airport in the Puglia region of Italy at 10:44 p.m. local time after a flight of nearly 8 hours.

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre held a 54-minute gaggle about two hours into the flight.

Sullivan spoke of President Biden's plans for the G-7, including his meeting Thursday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The two leaders will sign a bilateral security agreement for Ukraine "making clear our support will last long into the future," Sullivan said.

Sullivan also addressed Hamas' response to the Gaza cease-fire proposal, calling many of the proposed changes "minor and not unanticipated." He said, "Our aim is to bring this process to a conclusion. Our view is that the time for haggling is over. It's time for a cease-fire to begin and for the hostages to come home."

Jean-Pierre was asked about the president's reaction to Hunter Biden's conviction on three felony counts in Delaware. She referred us to the president's statement, adding, "he loves his son and he and the First Lady love their son and support their son."

Please check the transcript for additional details on the gaggle.

During the flight, Adrienne Watson of the NSC visited the press cabin for an OTR chat of about 25 minutes.

Watson returned later to tell the pool that Sullivan would hold an on-the-record roundtable briefing with the pool on Thursday morning to discuss the G-7.

She said Sam Reposa with the NSC will be at the press file in Bari Thursday to help connect the travelers who are not in the pool with the NSC at the G-7.

We are now taxiing on the tarmac.

Out of Town Pool Report #3 - Airport arrival

President Biden disembarked Air Force One at 11:02 p.m. It is cool and breezy here in Brindisi with a temperature of 74 degrees.

Biden was greeted by some familiar faces: Jack Markell, Ambassador of the United States to the Italian Republic, and his spouse, Mrs. Carla Markell. (Markell is the former governor of Delaware), and former Indiana Sen. Joe Donnelly, US. Ambassador to the Holy See, and his spouse, Mrs. Jill Donnelly. He also exchanged greetings with Bruno Pasquino, Head of the Diplomatic Protocol of the Italian Republic.

Biden embraced the Markells and spoke briefly with them and the Donnellys.

An Italian military honor guard flanked the staircase and a group of Italian military officers were on hand for the ceremonial arrival.

The president is boarding Marine One and we will soon lift to Fasano, Italy.

The president is now boarding Marine One and the pool will be traveling in a separate helicopter for the lift to Fasano.

Out of Town Pool #4 - Marine One

The White House passes this along:

Traveling with the President aboard Marine One:

Steve Ricchetti, Assistant to the President & Counselor to the President

Out of Town Pool #5 - Landing in Fasano

Marine One touched down at the San Domenico Landing Zone in Fasano at 11:41 p.m. after a roughly 20-minute ride on an overcast night.

The pool did not have a visual of President Biden when he boarded his vehicle; we were already pre-positioned in the motorcade in the dark.

The motorcade is now rolling at 11:50 p.m.

Out of town pool report #6 - Lid

After a short, three-minute ride, the motorcade arrived at the president's RON at 11:53 p.m.

A lid was declared at 11:58 p.m. Good night.