Pool Reports of December 2, 2025

WH in-town pool report #1

Good morning, this is Alexei Koseff from the San Francisco Chronicle, serving as your print pool for today.

Press office reports no changes to the schedule. First up is a cabinet meeting around 11:25 am.

WH in-town pool report #2

The cabinet meeting is starting now. It is being streamed live by major networks, but I will pass along significant updates.

WH in-town pool report #3

In his opening remarks, POTUS focused on his economic successes during his first year in office, including what he says are lower unemployment, inflation and energy prices than under Biden.

"The word affordability is a con job by the Democrats," he said. "Their prices were much higher."

"Since last January, we stopped inflation in its tracks."

POTUS emphasized that egg prices are way down. He complained about the "real dope" running the Fed and said he will probably announce a replacement early next year.

He also highlighted his efforts to lower prescription drug costs through tariff negotiations, including for the (unnamed) "fat drug."

"Anybody using it at the table? Don't answer," he said.

"It's going to have a huge impact on health care, because a huge part of it is buying drugs."

POTUS said Obamacare was a disaster designed to enrich insurance companies. He cast doubt on congressional negotiations over extending subsidies because he said Democrats are not interested in a deal.

He bragged about the accomplishments of the One Big Beautiful Bill and ending the "Green New Scam."

"I believe at some point in the not-too-distant future, you're not going to have income tax to pay, because the money we're taking in is so great."

He also touched on tariffs and border security. He said he hasn't gotten enough credit for fixing the border crisis.

"They always focus on something else, like, 'is he in good health?'"

"I'll let you know when there's something wrong. There will be some day. I think right now I'm sharper than I was 25 years ago."

He said he took a cognitive test and "aced it." This led him back to complaining about Biden and the "rigged" 2020 election.

POTUS said he hopes that ongoing peace negotiations with Russia and Ukraine will end a ninth war under his leadership. He speculated on winning the Nobel Peace Prize.

"I should get the Nobel Prize for every war, but I don't want to be greedy."

POTUS offers commemoration for National Guard members who were shot near the White House last week.

"Despite what just happened, Washington DC has become a really safe place," he said.

He praised the ongoing White House makeover.

"This building was a little like the country. It was mistreated, it was mishandled," he said. "We're giving it a little bit of love."

After more than a half hour of comments, POTUS handed it over to the cabinet.

WH in-town pool report #4

As cabinet secretaries around the table took turns offering updates on their work, POTUS frequently leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

A few excerpts from the first half:

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on success of military strikes against alleged drug traffickers in the Caribbean: "We've had a bit of a pause because we're having trouble finding boats to strike right now."

POTUS said he's going to rebuild Dulles and turn it into a great airport: "We have a design that's amazing for Dulles."

POTUS: "We're saving our country. I don't want to be braggadocious, but we're saving our country. All of us."

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said that, starting next week, her department will stop moving SNAP funds to blue states that won't provide their registration rolls for audit.

More TK

WH in-town pool report #5

Some more excerpts from the second half of cabinet secretary updates:

VP Vance on congressional Democrats: "If they want to talk about affordability, they ought to look in the mirror. We are fixing what they broke."

AG Pam Bondi said the administration has been sued 575 times so far, which she said is more than every presidential administration going back to Reagan combined.

No update from Bondi on the Epstein files.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Biden: "He used this department to invade the country with terrorists. …. It's our job to get them out."

Noem claims 50% of the visas issued in Minnesota are fraudulent and said her department will focus on deporting those people.

POTUS was delighted when Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard tells him merry Christmas. "Merry Christmas. We say it loud and clear," he said.

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin: "Thank you, Mr. President, for being willing to take a bullet for this country."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Gaza deal could not have happened without POTUS' direct interactions with the leaders of those countries, but he cannot share details.

On to media questions

WH in-town pool report #6

Some excerpts from media questions at the end of the cabinet meeting:

POTUS said he's got one name in mind for the next Fed chair, down from a list of about 10, but won't share the name.

POTUS said he doesn't know if he's friends again with Elon Musk. He suggested there was tension because he wouldn't mandate everyone buy electric cars. "I think we get along well," he said.

POTUS was asked whether he supports the second strike to kill survivors of Venezuelan boat strike in September:

"All I know is this, every boat that's blown up that you see, we save 25,000 lives."

"I still haven't gotten a lot of information."

"To me, it was an attack. It wasn't one strike, two strikes, three strikes."

"I want those boats taken out, and if we have to, we'll attack on land as well."

"I watched that first strike live," Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said, but he said he didn't stick around because he had other work to do. 

"A couple of hours later, I learned" about the call for the second strike, he said.

"I did not personally see survivors…because that thing was on fire."

"It's called the fog of war."

No updates on Russia-Ukraine talks because "I've spending too much time with you," POTUS said.

On drug trafficking:

"Anybody that's doing that and selling it into our country is subject to attack."

"No, not just Venezuela."

On Minnesota welfare fraud scandal:

"I think Walz is a grossly incompetent man. There's something wrong with him."

"They contribute nothing. I don't want them in our country," he said of Somalian immigrant community.

"Our country is at a tipping point," he said. "We're going to go the wrong way if we keep taking garbage into our country."

"Let them go back to where they came from and fix it."

On that note, POTUS stood to exit and press was escorted from the room.

WH in-town pool report #7

Press is lining up the Roosevelt Room for announcement on Trump accounts to begin shortly

WH in-town pool report #8

Johnson, Sen. Ted Cruz, Congressmen Blake Moore and Jason Smith, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Dell founder Michael Dell and wife Susan Dell, among others, for "Trump accounts" announcement in Roosevelt Room.

The Dells are donating $6.25 billion to add $250 each to 25 million investment accounts for children 10 and under who are not covered by the federal program.

"This is truly one of the most generous acts in American history," POTUS said.

He said the gift was made possible by tax cuts in the One Big Beautiful Bill. He encouraged others to donate.

POTUS said the accounts will be available starting on July 4.

"We believe when children have a future they see is worth saving for, that will build hope and prosperity for generations to come," Susan Dell said.

Bessent said the Trump accounts will start a "new age of capitalism" for the country.

"Of the many marquee accomplishments of the Trump administration, this will be one that people will remember for a long, long time," Johnson said.

Cruz said he's excited that "we're creating a new generation of capitalists" by giving every children ownership in the biggest corporations in the country. He compares the accounts to 401(k)'s for kids.

Smith announces that he'll contribute $60 to accounts for each of his four children, age 13 and younger.

POTUS answered some questions from the press.

He said there are educational benefits to the accounts: "They can learn a lot about how life works, how business works."

Michael Dell said they started with plans to donate a much smaller amount just in Texas and as they got more and more excited about the program, they eventually arrived at the $6.25 billion gift.

"It just shows there's a tremendous heart in great entrepreneurs," POTUS said. "He's a tough cookie, but he's got a very, very warm spot."

POTUS said his administration is also looking into replicating a version of the Australian retirement savings accounts program.

He said he looks forward to celebrating the launch of the Trump accounts in his new White House ballroom, which he said is an upgrade people have been wanting for 150 years.

POTUS defended the pardon of the former Honduran president on drug charges: "That was a Biden-inspired witch hunt."

After bragging about the scale of his 2024 election victory, POTUS exited to shouted questions from the media.

WH in-town pool report #9

Lunch lid until 4:45 pm

WH in-town pool report #10

The White House called a travel/photo lid at 6:02 p.m.

Thanks for bearing with me through my first pool duty. See you next time!