Pool Reports of February 6, 2020

In-town pool report #1

Good morning from the White House. I will be your print pooler today. The president is scheduled to attend the National Prayer Breakfast at 8 a.m. His appearance will be livestreamed (see this link https://www.whitehouse.gov/live/) but I will send along any highlights and color from the room.

In-town pool report #2

The motorcade is rolling to the Washington Hilton as of 8:13 a.m. Your pooler did not catch a glimpse of POTUS before we departed the White House.

In-town pool report #3

We have arrived at the Washington Hilton after a short drive across town. The president will soon deliver remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast which will be live streamed on the White House website at the following link: https://www.whitehouse.gov/live/

In-town pool report #4 -- National Prayer Breakfast attendees

Passing this along from the White House:

Today, President Donald J. Trump deliver remarks at the 68th Annual National Prayer Breakfast.

The following individuals are expected to attend:

The White House
President Donald J. Trump
Vice President Mike Pence
Second Lady Karen Pence

Trump Administration
Secretary Mike Pompeo, Department of State
Secretary Mark Esper, Department of Defense
Secretary David Bernhardt, Department of the Interior
Secretary Eugene Scalia, Department of Labor
Secretary Alex Azar, Department of Health and Human Services
Secretary Ben Carson, Department of Housing and
Urban Development
Secretary Dan Brouillette, Department of Energy
Secretary Betsy DeVos, Department of Education
Secretary Robert Wilkie, Department of Veterans Affairs
Administrator Jovita Carranza, Small Business Administration

Members of Congress
Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House and United States Representative from California's 12th Congressional District
Representative Kevin McCarthy, House Minority
Leader and United States Representative from
California's 23rd Congressional District
Representative John Moolenaar, United States
Representative from Michigan's 4th Congressional District and National Prayer Breakfast Honorary Co-Chairman
Representative David Kustoff, United States Representative from Tennessee's 8th Congressional District
Representative Thomas Suozzi, United States Representative from New York's 3rd Congressional District and National Prayer Breakfast Honorary Co-Chairman
Representative Xochitl Torres Small, United States Representative from New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District

External Participants
Dr. Arthur Brooks, Professor of the Practice of Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School and Arthur C. Patterson Faculty Fellow at the Harvard Business School
CeCe Winans, Contemporary Gospel Artist
Alvin Love II, Spouse of CeCe Winans
Amy Moolenaar, Spouse of Representative John Moolenaar
Roberta Kustoff, Spouse of Representative David Kustoff
Reverend Gerald Toussaint, Pastor of the Mount
Pleasant Baptist Church, Louisiana
36 United States Senators166 United States Representatives3 Foreign Leaders and Heads of State

In-town pool report #5 -- POTUS enters

The president entered the room at about 8:38 a.m. Those in the crowd clapped and stood as he entered. The president walked up to a long table next to the podium. He picked up a newspaper that displayed a headline "Aquitted" and pointed to it, which prompted laughter from the crowd.

In-town pool report #6 -- more color from room

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who was seated at the end of a long table on the stage around the podium, stood and clapped as President Trump entered the room. She then looked on as he displayed the newspapers declaring him "acquitted" in the Senate impeachment trial.

Pelosi then delivered remarks, which were captured by the livestream.

In-town pool report #7 -- POTUS takes the podium

President Trump approached the podium at approximately 9:09 a.m.

The president was preceded by keynote speaker Dr. Arthur Brooks. Also, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) each delivered prayers at the beginning of the program, before Dr. Brooks spoke.

A little more color from the president's entrance earlier -- the newspapers that he held up shortly after he entered the room describing his acquittal by the Senate were copies of USA TODAY and the Washington Post. There were also cheers when he held them up. Your pooler did not see Speaker Pelosi's expression or reaction in the moment.

In-town pool report #8 -- POTUS begins remarks

The president was greeted by standing applause as he stepped to the podium. He began his remarks at 9:10 a.m.

He referred to his impeachment at the outset of his remarks, saying that he and Republicans had been put through a "terrible ordeal by some very dishonest and corrupt people."

"I don't like people who use their faith as justification for doing what they know is wrong. Nor do I like people who say, ‘I pray for you,' when they know that's not so," Trump said.

Speaker Pelosi, who is still seated at one of the long tables next to the podium, appeared to shake her head when the president said the last line. Your pooler could not see her expression.

The president is still speaking.

In-town pool report #9 -- POTUS concludes remarks

The president wrapped up his remarks at approximately 9:36 a.m.

Toward the end of his remarks, the president received standing applause when he spoke about construction on the Mount Pleasant church. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (D-Calif), House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and others seated at the long tables surrounding the podium also stood up and clapped during that moment.

In-town pool report #10 — motorcade rolling from hotel

We are rolling from the Washington Hilton as of 9:42 a.m.

Another note on POTUS concluding his remarks — he received standing applause from the crowd as he wrapped up. The attendees seated at the long tables surrounding the podium also stood as Trump concluded.

In-town pool report #11 — arrival at White House

The motorcade arrived back at the White House at approximately 9:48 a.m.

The president is scheduled to deliver remarks in the East Room at 12 p.m. That event is open press.

In-town pool report #12

For those planning to attend the president's remarks at 12 p.m., the White House says that it is not a press conference and there will not be seats for press.

In-town pool report #13

The press is gathering for the president's 12 p.m. remarks in the East Room.
The remarks are open press and will be live streamed. You can watch them here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/live/

I will send any highlights or color.

In-town pool report #14

The room has filled up substantially. There are a number of members of Congress here, as well as Trump administration officials. Your pooler has spotted Reps. Jim Jordan, John Ratcliffe, Mark Meadows, Doug Collins, and several others. Sens. Chuck Grassley, Mike Lee and Josh Hawley are also in the audience. A number of cabinet secretaries, including Attorney General Bill Barr, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Defense Secretary Mark Esper are also here.

In-town pool report #15 — more attendees

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell entered the room shortly after I sent the last pool report. Your pooler also spotted Steve Castor, the Republican counsel on the House Intelligence Committee, as well as Fox News' Laura Ingraham and Katie Pavlich in the audience.

All or most of the House lawmakers who played a role in the president's impeachment defense team are here.

White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney is here, seated in a front row. Other Trump administration cabinet officials include HUD Secretary Ben Carson, HHS Secretary Alex Azar, and Acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf.

In-town pool report #16

The president's legal team, including White House counsel Pat Cipollone and Trump's personal attorney Jay Sekulow, entered the room at 12:19 p.m. and received a standing ovation from the crowd. They sat in a row of empty seats in a front row.

President Trump entered the room a minute later. A reminder these remarks are being live-streamed on the White House website.

In-town pool report #17 — remarks ongoing

President Trump has spent a large part of his remarks recognizing members of Congress for how they handled impeachment, calling them "warriors."

POTUS remarks ongoing but some color from the room — after the president remarked about about Rep. Jim Jordan never wearing a jacket, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy turned around to ask Jordan, seated behind him, if he is wearing his jacket today. He is.

In-town pool report #18

POTUS wrapped up his remarks at approximately 1:23 p.m. We will be filing out of the East Room momentarily.

In-town pool report #19 — arrival of President of Kenya

President Trump welcomed Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta at the White House just before 2 p.m. The two shook hands and walked along the colonnade. They entered the Oval Office followed by NSA Robert O'Brien and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Pool is now holding outside along the colonnade.

In-town pool report 19a question on trade

Your pooler should have noted in the prior report that Trump was asked by a reporter if he planned to sign a trade agreement with Kenya. POTUS replied "probably," before he and the Kenyan president entered the Oval. Pool still holding.

In-town pool report #20

Pool returned to the press area after briefly holding on the colonnade.

POTUS is scheduled to receive an update regarding the coronavirus at 4:30 p.m., but that is scheduled to be closed to the press. POTUS does not have any additional public events on his schedule, but I will let you know if that changes.

In-town pool report #21 -- lunch lid

The White House has called a lunch lid until 4 p.m.

In-town pool report #22 -- travel/photo lid

The White House has called a travel/photo lid. Enjoy your rainy Washington evening!

(2/6) In-town pool report #23 —two readouts

I apologize for the late send on these — passing along two readouts from the White House.

>From Judd Deere:

Today, President Donald J. Trump met with President Uhuru Kenyatta of the Republic of Kenya. The two leaders have agreed to begin the process of negotiating a trade agreement that will further expand the United States-Kenya partnership. President Trump looks forward to working together with President Kenyatta on the United States' first free trade agreement in sub-Saharan Africa, which will strengthen ties, support regional integration in Africa, and help create jobs in both countries.

—

And another here also passed along by Judd Deere:

Today, President Donald J. Trump spoke with President Xi Jinping of China. President Trump expressed confidence in China's strength and resilience in confronting the challenge of the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak. The two leaders agreed to continue extensive communication and cooperation between both sides. They also noted the great achievement of the recent United States - China Phase One Trade Deal and reaffirmed their commitment to its implementation.