Pool Reports of February 27, 2025

Pool report 1: Awaiting Sir Keir

We are awaiting the PM’s arrival now.

Pool report 2: Starmer arrival

An armored SUV flying both the Stars and Stripes and Union Jack pulled in front of the West Wing at 1234.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer exited the vehicle a moment later and was immediately greeted by POTUS.

POTUS was asked if he could get a peace deal on Ukraine. He replied "yes."

We are headed next to the Oval. Have asked for information on greeters.

Pool report 3: Oval

Pool was brought into Oval at 1249.

POTUS and PM Starmer are seated in front of unused fireplace in wingback chairs.

POTUS says he's a great honor to have PM back and says he'll be traveling to UK in "the near future."

Adds they will be talking Russia/Ukraine.

Pool report 4: More oval

Starmer thanks POTUA for changing the conversation on Ukraine and says a "historic deal" can be achieved.

He also brought a letter from King Charles.

POTUS: "Am I supposed to read it right now?"

POTUS opens it and calls Charles "a great great gentleman"

Says "well, that's really nice" and displayed letter, calling Charles "a beautiful man and a wonderful man."

PM says it's an invite for a second state visit for POTUS.

Pool report 5: Tate bros

Trump tells pool he knows nothing about the Tates being released from Romania.

Bad reception, more TK asap

Pool report 6: More color

Seated on couches and chairs on either side of and facing POTUS and PM Starmer:

VP Vance
SecState Rubio
SecDef Hegseth
COS Wiles

Foreign Secretary Lammy

Have asked for a full manifest from White House.

Pool report 7: Exit from Oval

Pool exited the Oval at 1322.

Quotes etc TK but play back may come faster. Either way check against official transcript when it comes out.

Pool report 8: More from Oval — Quotes!

These are from Otter — PLEASE check against transcript and from playback.

POTUS opening meeting:

"It's a great honor to have Prime Minister Starmer the Oval Office. Very special place, and he's a special man. And the United Kingdom is a is a wonderful this is a wonderful country that I know very well, and there a lot and are we going? Are we going there? And we expect to see each other near future, we'll be announcing it, but we're going to be discussing many things today. We'll be discussing Russia, Ukraine. We'll be discussing trade and lots of other items, and I think we can say that we're going to be getting along on every one of them. We've had a tremendous relationship. And frankly, the Prime Minister and I have met twice before, and we get along very famously, as you would say. And I look forward to it very much. We look forward to the day and the meeting. We'll be having a luncheon after this, and then another work session, and I believe we're going to have a press conference at the end, so I look forward to it."

Starmer on US-UK relations:

"Our countries have been bound together for a very long time now, the closest Alliance I think, of any two countries when it comes to prosperity and security, and I know that together, we will strengthen that even further on issues like Ukraine. Thank you for changing the conversation to bring about the possibility that now we can have a peace deal. And we want to work with you to make sure that peace deal is enduring, that it lasts, that it's a deal that goes down to historic deal that nobody reaches. And we'll work with you to make sure that that absolutely happens."

POTUS on Zelensky:

"So President Zelensky is coming to see me on Friday, Friday morning, and we're going to be signing really a very important agreement for both sides, because it's really going to get us into that country. We'll be working there. We'll have a lot of people working and so in that sense, it's very good. It's a backstop. You could say, I don't think anybody's going to play around if we're there with a lot of workers and having to do with rare earths and other things which we need for our country. And we appreciate it very much, and I look forward to seeing him. We'll be talking about it, and we'll also be talking about that today with the Prime Minister."

POTUS on whether UK must choose between US and EU:

"I think we have just a great relationship. We actually had a good relationship before. We've met a couple of times, and I'm very impressed with him, very impressed with his wife, I must say, she's a beautiful, great woman. And he's very lucky."

POTUS on Chagos deal / Diego Garcia base:

"We're going to have some discussions about that very soon, and I have a feeling it's going to work out very well. They're talking about a very long term, powerful lease, a very strong lease, about 140 years. Actually, that's a long time, and I think we'll be inclined to go along with your country. We have to be given the details, but it doesn't sound bad."

POTUS on Putin:

"I've spoken to him. I've known him for a long time now, we had, we had to go through the Russian hoax together. That was not a good thing. It's not fair. That was a rigged deal and had nothing to do with Russia. It was a rigged deal ... and they had to put up with that too."

"I don't believe he's going to violate his word. I don't think he'll be back when we make a deal. I think the deal is going to hold now. They're going to have security."

Pool report 9: Gather for presser

The gigantic crush of press from the US and UK, including the pool, has gathered outside for eventual entry into the joint press conference.

It will be live/broadcast and I will therefore not be sending reports apart from 2 min warning / start / end.

Pool Report 10: Two minutes

We have received our two-minute warning.

Pool Report 11: Press conference kicks off

President Trump and PM Starmer entered the East Room at

The press conference is ongoing and streaming/broadcasting at all the usual spots so I will not be providing reports on what is said.

Pool Report 12: Presser over

The press conference ended at 1601.

Pool Report 13: Lid

We have a travel/photo lid as of 1828.

Foreign Pool Report #1 - Backgrounder

Hello all,

Welcome to the penultimate day of February and the 2nd of 3 foreign leader visits this week! I will be your foreign pooler on this British-ly grey day.

Following French President Emmanuel Macron's trip on Monday, British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will visit the White House today - with both visits following the same format.

This will be Sir Keir's 3rd visit to the White House in just 7 months, but his first with President Trump in office. The visit is being closely watched in the UK, with one former British ambassador to the US calling it "one of the most consequential meetings of a British prime minister and president that we have had since the Second World War."

The two leaders have met once before in person; sharing a 2-hour meal together at Trump Tower in New York in September. They have also spoken several times on the phone. During his visit, PM Starmer will also "relay warm regards to President Trump and the American people from His Majesty The King and the Royal Family" - per the British Embassy.

I am told that there is a range of topics that PM Starmer will discuss with President Trump.

• Prosperity and security for working people the focus of Prime Minister's meeting with President Trump.
• Special relationship between UK and US critical to deliver growth and security, with further collaboration on AI and tech.
• Prime Minister to reiterate shared US-UK commitment to reaching a durable and lasting peace in Ukraine, and the need for to Europe to step up to the challenge.

TRADE

Diplomatic sources say, "the UK and the US share a unique and historic relationship, based on shared values and a mutual commitment to economic and defence cooperation." The UK is looking to discuss trade with President Trump in the wake of his recent tariff announcement.

The Embassy says "the UK and the US have one of the biggest trading relationships of any two countries in the world, worth around $400 billion and generating over 2.5 million jobs across both countries. It is a fair and balanced trading relationship, without significant deficits in either direction. Our investment relationship is unwavering, worth over $1.5 trillion.

Prime Minister Starmer will discuss ways to stimulate growth, jobs and wealth for British and American people by accelerating bilateral trade and investment across goods and services."

AI

Another topic the British delegation wishes to discuss is artificial intelligence.

An embassy statement said: "Both countries are world leaders in AI and advanced technologies, and the Prime Minister will be looking to build on these strong foundations to create jobs and economic growth.

The discussion will have a particular focus on the opportunities that further technology partnerships could deliver. These include a greater alignment on top technologies where we share world-leading expertise like quantum and AI, and a deeper partnership on space.

The US and UK are the only two Western countries with trillion-dollar technology eco-systems, and the Prime Minister will make the case for further integration between the two countries' tech sectors to make them the most efficient, ambitious technology sectors in the world.

These discussions take place to a backdrop of deepening science, innovation, and technology collaboration between both countries. In AI, researchers from both sides of the Atlantic have dedicated research exchange programmes to share knowledge and expertise in delivering the next wave of cutting-edge innovations that improve people's lives in areas such as personalised care, autonomous surgeries, and cancer diagnosis – on top of a broader AI partnership."

UKRAINE

Arguably the most anticipated talks centre around Ukraine. The UK has vowed to take a proactive role in future peace processes; including sending UK troops to Ukraine as part of a peacekeeping force. Starmer will discuss this plan further with Donald Trump.

There are still some differences of opinion between the US and the Europeans which European nations hope can be bridged. Embassy sources say "the Prime Minister will be clear that there can be no negotiations about Ukraine without Ukraine and will recognise the need for Europe to play its part on global defence and step up for the good of collective European security."

In that vein, PM Starmer will tout the UK's recently announced increase in defence spending; "the biggest sustained increase in [British] defence spending since the Cold War". By 2027, the UK will spend 2.5% of GDP on defence, up from the current 2.3% - an increase of around £13.4 billion ($17 billion) a year. The plan is to raise that to 3% of GDP by 2035. The plan was called a "strong step from an enduring partner" by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

The Prime Minister is also hoping the US will provide security guarantees to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire. The so-called "backstop" would act as a deterrent for Russia to break any ceasefire agreement.

On the plane over to D.C., Prime Minister Starmer said "The reason I say the backstop is so important is that the security guarantee has to be sufficient to deter Putin from coming again. Because my concern is if there is a ceasefire without a backstop, it will simply give him the opportunity to wait and to come again because his ambition in relation to Ukraine is pretty obvious, I think, for all to see."

A Senior US Administration official said: "Those discussions about the modality of the security guarantee are ongoing with the caveats [Other SAO] mentioned - that there's no US boots on the ground [and no specific guarantee of funding for future war fighting written in to mineral deal], [...] But this is obviously something that's very high on our European allies agenda, looking at what that looks like, seeing what their defense capabilities provide them."

SAO continued: "Whatever force there is is less a deterrent than a peacekeeping force, then I think that would be broadly more popular for many nations. So the type of force depends very much on the political settlement that is made to end the war, and I think that trade off is part of what the leaders today are going to be discussing"

Separately, Prime Minister Keir Starmer also said:

"The world is becoming ever more dangerous, and it is more important than ever that we are united with our allies. A stable economy, secure borders and national security are the foundations of my Plan for Change, and the US-UK relationship is integral to delivering them. These principles will be at the heart of discussions with President Trump today. There are huge opportunities for us to deepen our special relationship, deliver growth and security, and improve the lives of working people in both our great nations."

OTHER ENGAGEMENTS

PM Starmer arrived on Wednesday evening. He made his way to the British Ambassador's residence where he addressed a crowd of administration officials, congressional figures and business leaders and "met a select group of CEOs from large US businesses to discuss their existing and growing presence in the UK, and the importance of UK-US trade and investment." The talks were intended to "outline the strength of the UK offer to investors: policy stability; an active partnership with government; an open, trading economy; and a reform agenda focused on making it easier to do business."

After his visit to the White House, PM Starmer will also carry out a defence focused visit and conduct interviews with US media outlets.

On his trip, the Prime Minister is accompanied by the Foreign Secretary David Lammy, National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell, recently appointed Ambassador Peter Mandelson and senior Downing Street officials.

BACKGROUND ON THE PM

Sir Keir Starmer, 62, was educated at Oxford University before practicing law as a barrister specialising in human rights issues. His political career began when he was appointed Director of Public Prosecutions in 2008, where he earned recognition for his reforms and commitment to justice. He stepped down from the role in November 2013 and a year later, was given a knighthood for 'services to law and criminal justice'.

Shortly after, in 2015, Starmer was elected as the Labour Party Member of Parliament for Holborn and St Pancras (in central London). He quickly rose through the ranks of the then-opposition government, becoming Shadow Brexit Secretary in 2016. He would become leader of the Labour Party in 2020, eventually becoming Prime Minister in 2024 after a landslide election result for the Labour Party - ending the Conservative party's 14 years in power.

That's it for now - I hope you enjoyed my spelling of 'defence'.

If you need anything, don't hesitate to reach out!

Foreign Pool Report #2 - Starmer arrival

The Suburban carrying Keir Starmer pulled up to the West Wing at 12.33pm

The British PM was greeted by Donald Trump, the pair shaking hands with President before turning and entering the West Wing.

Pool is now gathering to enter the Oval.

Foreign Pool Report #3 - Oval quotes

Hello all,

Both men opened by discussing their admiration for each other's countries before taking questions. President Trump said the UK was a "very special place" and that PM Starmer was a "very special man".

PM Starmer said "our countries have been bound together for a very long time now, the closest alliance I think of any two countries when it comes to prosperity and security, and I know that together, we will strengthen that even further and on issues like Ukraine."

Please check all quotes against videos/transcripts.

UK State Visit

PM Keir Starmer presented a letter from HRH King Charles to the US President. The letter formally invited President Trump to visit the UK for an "unprecedented" 2nd state visit which will be "even better" than the last time President Trump visited. The President accepted.

Various topics of international importance.

Ukraine

PM STARMER thanked President Trump for creating space for a Ukraine peace deal to take place: "Thank you for changing the conversation to bring about the possibility that now we can have a peace deal, and we want to work with you to make sure that peace deal is enduring, that it lasts, but it's a deal that goes down as a historic deal that nobody breaches, and we'll work with you to make sure that that absolutely happens."

I asked President TRUMP whether he would budge on his refusal to accept Ukraine into NATO: "I could be very nice and say, 'Oh, well, we'll work to it.' Look, it's not going to happen. This is not going to happen. That's what started this whole thing. And Biden said that, and all of a sudden the guns started. That was one of the primary reasons it started. And this was long before President Putin, they never said it was an impossibility. So we can say, 'Oh, gee, well, we'll try', but that's something that's just not going to happen. And then the other question I ask is about the land, when you get your land back? Well, they fought long and hard on the land, and you and I will be discussing that, and we're going to certainly try and get as much as we can back but on the NATO just that's not going
to happen.

TRUMP on the peacekeeping force: "We have to make a deal first. Right now we don't have a deal. We have Russia. We have Ukraine. I think we're very well advanced. I think Russia has been acting very well. Representative Steve Witkoff and Scott and Marco and JD were all involved, every one of us, and a lot more. But I think we're very well advanced on a deal, but we have not made a deal yet. So I don't like to talk about peacekeeping until we have a deal. I like to get things done. I don't want to give it the bad luck side. We don't want to do that. But we've had very good talks with Russia. We've had very good talks, as you know, with Ukraine."

TRUMP on a backstop: "We are a backstop because we'll be over there, we'll be working in the country. We're going to be that's a great thing economically for them, because, you know, when you talk about economic development, we're going to have a lot of people over there, so we'll be working in the country. So I just don't think you're going to have a problem. I think when we have an agreement, you can say whatever you want about security, who's going to do it? Or that's going to be a very pleasant conversation. The hard conversation is, will we have an agreement? And I think the answer is yes. I think Russia will agree. And I think that I really believe Ukraine will agree."

Asked whether he could trust that Putin wouldn't break a peace deal, TRUMP said: I think he'll keep his word. I think, I think he's, I've spoken to him. I've known him for a long time now. We had, we had to go through the Russian hoax together. That was not a good thing. It's not fair. That was a rigged deal and had nothing to do with Russia. Was a rigged deal with inside the country, and they had to put up with that too. They put up with a lot. It wasn't just us. They had to put up with it, with a phony story that was made up. I've known him for a long time now, and I think he will. I don't believe he's going to violate his word. I don't think he'll be back when we make a deal. I think the deal is going to hold now. They're going to have security. You're going to have security, you're going to have soldiers. I know France wants to be there. He's, the President has said he wants to have soldiers there I don't think we're going to even be necessary but I don't think there'll be any problem with keeping the deal with the security.

STARMER also took a page out of Macron's book and pushed back against President Trump's Ukraine aid figure: "We are not getting all of ours [back]. I mean, quite a bit of ours was gifted. There were some supplements, but mainly it was
gifted."

Asked if the US would come to the UK's defence if Putin attacked British soldiers in Ukraine, TRUMP said: "I've always found about the British, they don't need much help. They can take care of themselves very well. You know what? No, it sounds like it's evasive, but it's not invasive. You know, the British are, have been incredible soldiers, incredible military. And they can take care of themselves, but if they need help, I'll always be with the British. Okay, I'll always be with them, but they don't need help. You look at their career. You have done very well over the years, haven't you?"

They will also discuss Ukraine's territory.

AUKUS

I asked whether the AUKUS trilateral security deal would be discussed, President TRUMP initially said: "What does that mean?" And then: "yeah, well, we'll be discussing that. We've had another great relationship, and you have too with Australia. Yeah, we've had a very good relationship with Australia."

TRADE

President TRUMP discussed tariffs on the EU: "We do have problems with the EU because they've tariff, tariffed us. They do it in the form of a vet tax, which is about 20% and many other taxes. They sue our companies. They sued apple. Got 16 or $17 billion which was, I think, totally a ridiculous decision. And they're suing Google for a lot of money. They're suing a lot of other companies. And we don't like the way they're treating our people. We don't like the way they're treating our companies. They sell us cars. We don't sell them cars. They don't take our cars, they don't take much of our agriculture, and we have a deficit with them of about $350 million so I wouldn't say it's been such a great relationship personally"

STARMER said the UK was in a different position to the EU: "Our trade, obviously, is fair and balanced. And fact, you've got a bit of a surplus. So we're in a different position there. And obviously we contributed hugely in relation to Ukraine, and taken together with Europe, that's about 50%"

We will soon be gathering for the press conference.

Let me know if you need anything!