Pool Reports by Courtney Subramanian, Los Angeles Times
| Sent: | Reports: |
| May 21, 2023 09:19 JST |
In-town pool report #1 - Checking in Good morning from Hiroshima. I'm your print pooler for the last day of the G7 summit before POTUS returns to Washington. Pool has been swept and we're holding at the RON. Please let me know if you have any questions. Here's a look at today's schedule: JST 10:30 AM THE PRESIDENT participates in a G7 Summit working session on Ukraine 11:45 AM THE PRESIDENT participates in a G7 Summit working session with invited countries and international organizations on Toward a Peaceful, Stable and Prosperous World 1:30 PM THE PRESIDENT participates in a trilateral engagement with Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan and President Yoon Suk-Yeol of the Republic of Korea 2:15 PM THE PRESIDENT participates in a bilateral meeting with President Volodomyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine 6:15 PM THE PRESIDENT holds a press conference 8:15 PM THE PRESIDENT departs Hiroshima, Japan en route to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan 8:40 PM THE PRESIDENT departs Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni en route to Anchorage, Alaska AKDT 11:05 AM THE PRESIDENT arrives in Anchorage, Alaska for a brief refueling stop 12:35 PM THE PRESIDENT departs Anchorage, Alaska en route to Joint Base Andrews EDT 9:45 PM In-Town Pool Call Time 11:05 PM THE PRESIDENT arrives at Joint Base Andrews 11:25 PM THE PRESIDENT arrives at the White House |
| May 21, 2023 10:27 JST |
In-town pool report #2 - Rolling We're rolling for the Grand Prince Hotel at 10:23am JST. Pool did not lay eyes on POTUS or see the Beast before the motorcade left the RON. Traveling with the President via motorcade en route to the Grand Prince Hotel: Rahm Emanuel, Ambassador of the United States to Japan |
| May 21, 2023 10:46 JST |
Travel pool report #3 - Grand Prince hotel arrival The motorcade arrived at 10:37 am JST after an uneventful ride. It's a sunny 73 degrees here in Hiroshima. Pool was escorted inside the hotel but did not see POTUS before we left the motorcade. We're now holding in a conference room. *Your pooler regrets that she has labeled the first two pool reports as "in town" instead of "travel." My sincere apologies. |
| May 21, 2023 10:57 JST |
Travel pool report #4 - Family photo/debt talks update Pool was not given access to the family photo ahead of the working session on Ukraine, but spotted POTUS on the pool feed. He was flanked by Japanese PM Kishida and German Chancellor Scholz. Ukrainian President Zelensky stood between Kishida and French President Macron. As they walked in before posing for the photo, POTUS put his arm around Zelensky. From a White House official: We're still holding. Per the WH: The President is participating in a G7 Summit working session on Ukraine. In attendance: G7 Leaders U.S. Delegation: |
| May 21, 2023 12:10 JST |
Travel pool report #5 - Working session on peace Correction: Pool was represented by Susie Walsh of the AP for the family photo. Pool was escorted into a conference room on the second floor at 11:58am JST. The leaders were seated at long, oval table. POTUS was standing and speaking with Canadian PM Trudeau and European Commission President von der Leyen before he took his seat. South Korean President Yoon came over to say hello before the meeting started. Kishida gave opening remarks and French President Macron arrived as he was speaking. He sat down to the right of Kishida. The remarks were not translated. POTUS was seated between the leaders of Brazil and Comoros on the right side of the room (to the left of Kishida, who was seated at the head of the table). Notably, Zelensky was seated next to Modi on the other side of the table. POTUS did not respond to shouted questions about his call with McCarthy and what he planned to say. Pool was ushered out of the room at 12:02pm JST. Per WH: The President is participating in a G7 Summit session on Working Towards a Peaceful, Stable and Prosperous World. In attendance: G7 Leaders Invited Countries and Partners U.S. Delegation: |
| May 21, 2023 13:24 JST |
Travel report #6 - holding for trilat photo spray Pool was shuffled outside the hotel to a stone patio overlooking the water. A white riser was set up with the US, Japanese and South Korean flags on the left side of the riser. Japanese Amb. Rahm Emanuel came over and spoke to the pool before the event. POTUS is holding a trilateral engagement with Japan and South Korea. The event was previously closed to press. We're holding. |
| May 21, 2023 13:52 JST |
Travel pool report #7 - News: official trilat invite POTUS, Kishida and Yoon arrived on the patio at 1:42 pm JST. They stood on the riser and posed for photos. They shook hands and spoke for a minute before leaving. During their conversation, POTUS invited both leaders for an official trilateral meeting in the US. No date yet but they're working out the details, per a senior administration official. Asked what his message to Speaker McCarthy, POTUS said he would be speaking with him later today. When pressed on his message, POTUS said I'm going to give it to him before I'll give it to you. Pool will listen back for exact quote. We were ushered out at 1:48pm JST. |
| May 21, 2023 14:42 JST |
Travel report #8 - gaggle with a administration official Pool spoke on background to a senior administration official for about 14 minutes before POTUS' meeting with Zelensky. The official gave a recap of the summit and took questions on China's response to the communique, whether the debt ceiling came up with foreign leaders and the outbound investments executive order. They have not heard directly from China on the language in the communique. No news to share and your pooler will send another report with exact quotes. The official said the summit was a step on the path of turning the IRA from "source of friction" to a "source of affirmative unity and strength." We're now holding outside the room where POTUS will meet with Zelensky. |
| May 21, 2023 15:03 JST |
Travel pool report #9 - Zelensky quotes Pool was ushered into a conference room overlooking the water. Zelensky and POTUS were seated in the corner of the room with their teams assembled on each side. Biden announced a new arms package. Pool will send out another note with Biden quotes. News: Zelensky was asked whether Bakhmut is still in Ukraine's hands. He appeared to confirm it. "I think no." "You have to understand there is nothing left of it. They destroyed it." "But for today, Bakhmut is only in our hearts. There is nothing." Pool was ushered out at 2:50. More TK Per WH: The President is participating in a bilateral meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine. U.S. Manifest Ukraine Manifest |
| May 21, 2023 15:14 JST |
Travel pool report #10 - More from Zelensky meeting There seemed to be some confusion about whether Zelensky confirmed Russia had taken control of Bakhmut. The AP's Zeke Miller asked whether Bakhmut was still in Ukraine's hands. The Russians say they've taken Bakhmut. Zelensky appeared to answer the first question. "I think no. But you have to understand there is nothing." "For today, Bakhmut is only in our hearts." When pool first entered the room, POTUS spoke first. He announced the "next tranche of US factories which includes more ammunition, artillery, vehicles. And the United States continues to help Ukraine respond, recover and rebuild. We're also supporting peace." Please check against transcript. Here is a link to otter: https://otter.ai/u/hsUSfMyscAUS36eJqxKtylQhcTY More TK |
| May 21, 2023 15:45 JST |
Travel pool report #11 - More Zelensky meeting The audio is difficult to hear so again, please check against the transcript. The POTUS quote should be: "Today, I'm announcing the next tranche of US [inaudible], which includes more ammunition, artillery, armored vehicles." "The United States continue to help Ukraine respond, recover and rebuild." "Together with the entire G7, we have Ukraine's back and we're not going anywhere," POTUS said. Zelensky thanked POTUS for his leadership and support. He said there are "strong relations" between the two countries, and they stand shoulder to shoulder. He thanked the American people, POTUS and his team - specifically naming Sullivan and Blinken, who were seated to the left of the president. POTUS recalled when air raid sirens went off during his trip to Kyiv. As they walked, the sirens blared and he looked at Zelensky. He said Zelensky wasn't worried, so he wasn't. The room laughed. We're now holding in vans outside the hotel. |
| May 21, 2023 15:58 JST |
Travel pool report #12 - Rolling We're now rolling for the RON at 3:55 JST. Pool was already loaded into the vans and did not see POTUS before the motorcade left the hotel. |
| May 21, 2023 16:18 JST |
Travel pool report #13 - RON arrival The motorcade arrived back at the RON at 4:10 pm JST after an uneventful ride. Dozens of onlookers dotted the route back to the hotel, holding up their phones to film as the motorcade drove by. Pool did not see POTUS once we arrived at the RON. Flagging the WH has released the memorandum on the drawdown for $375 million in military aid for Ukraine. We have a dinner lid until 5:45 pm JST. |
| May 21, 2023 16:53 JST |
Travel pool report #14 - Bakhmut question Since there's a lot of interest in what Zelensky was asked, here is what was asked and what we were able to pull from the audio: Q: Mr. President, President Zelensky, is Bakhmut still in Ukraine's hands? The Russians say they have taken Bakhmut. A: "I think no. But you have to understand that there is nothing. They destroyed everything. There are no [buildings?] [inaudible] For today, Bakhmut is only in our hearts. there is nothing in this place. Just [ground?] and a lot of dead Russians. But they came to us. Our defenders in Bakhmut, they did strong work. And of course, we appreciate that [inaudible] great job." |
| May 21, 2023 18:57 JST |
Travel pool report #15 - two-minute warning for presser We have a two-minute warning on the press conference at 6:55pm JST. We're running about 40 minutes behind the scheduled start time of 6:15pm JST. The president's lectern is framed with a pair of large bonsai trees and Japanese folding screens. There are approximately 100 people in the room, per WH. The press conference is being live-streamed here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/live/ I will send any notable color from the room. |
| May 21, 2023 19:01 JST |
Travel pool report #16 - press conference begins POTUS came out and stepped up to the lectern at 6:57pm JST. He's opening the press conference by addressing the debt limit talks. Watch here: whitehouse.gov/live |
| May 21, 2023 20:01 JST |
Travel pool report #17 - Press conference ends The press conference finished at 7:35 JST. POTUS took questions from nine reporters before he left. Pool is handing off to David Sanger of NYT for the ride back to Washington. A big thanks to co-pooler Annie Linskey of WSJ for the assist today. |
Pool Reports below by David Sanger, The New York Times
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| May 21, 2023 20:14 JST |
Out of town pool Report God evening from your out of town pool. We are rolling to the helos at 8:10 pm. |
| May 21, 2023 21:05 JST |
Out of Town Pool Report #2 May 21 Choppers arrived at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni at 8:52 pm. POTUS emerged from Marine 1 at 8:55. He walked alone to AF1 and said nothing to your poolers under the wing. At 9:04 pm the engines are revving up and we are beginning to roll. Filet on the menu. We will update from Elmendorf in about 7 hours. |
| May 21, 2023 11:22 AKDT |
Out of Town Pool Report #3 May 21 - Elmendorf AF 1 landed at Elmendorf at 4:12 pm local. Uneventful flight. No one came back to brief. Please note statement White House put out saying staffs would meet on debt ceiling later today and Biden/McCarthy tomorrow. Poolers now on tarmac surrounded by snow capped mountains. Second Air Force 1 is here, having taken staff from Japan. |
| May 21, 2023 12:11 AKDT |
Af1 wheels up 12:09 [APP Note: No additional text was included in this report.] |
| May 21, 2023 22:11 EDT |
Out of Town Pool Report #5 May 21 - return.To JBA AF 1 was wheels down at JBA at 10:01 pm, ahead of schedule. Uneventful trip; John Kirby visited us and had a brief OTR chat. |
| May 21, 2023 22:28 EDT |
Out of Town Pool Report #6 POTUS emerged from AF 1 and headed to Marine 1 with one of his grandchildren. No sighting of First Lady. Marine 1 lifted at 10:25. Many thanks to a rotating collection of star poolers who kept us fed with news on a busy G7. Great to be back in Japan. We are handing off to in town pool. |
Pool Reports below by Todd J. Gillman, The Dallas Morning News
| Sent: | Reports: |
| May 21, 2023 13:18 EDT |
In-town pool report#1/readout of call with Speaker McCarthy From a WH official: Readout of President Biden's call with Speaker McCarthy President Biden and Speaker McCarthy spoke by phone. Their staffs will reconvene at 6 pm this evening to discuss remaining issues. The President and the Speaker will meet later tomorrow. |
Pool Reports below by S.V. Dáte, HuffPost
| Sent: | Reports: |
| May 21, 2023 | [APP Note: Report #1 does not exist or was not received by the APP.] |
| May 21, 2023 21:36 EDT |
WH pool report 2 -- updated arrival time; gather time Good evening. If you want to cover this open press arrival of the president from his shortened Asia trip, the gather time at the Palm Room doors is approx. 2020. This puts his arrival about an hour earlier than the initial guidance. |
| May 21, 2023 22:45 EDT |
WH pool report 3 — arrival at WH, says call with McCarthy went well The president's helicopter settled onto the South Lawn on a perfect spring night in Washington at 2236, ending his Asia trip early to deal with the approaching debt ceiling deadline. President Biden, clad in khakis and a blue jacket, emerged from the forward door of Marine 1 two minutes later, walked across the grass and past the pool reporters waiting by the South Portico entrance. In réponse to a shouted question about his earlier phone call with Speaker McCarthy, he said: "It went well, we'll talk tomorrow." He entered the building at 2239, as First Dog Commander looked on from the Truman Balcony. |
| May 21, 2023 22:47 EDT |
WH pool report 4 - lid At 2244, the White House press office announced a lid for the night. Until next time. |
Joseph R. Biden, Pool Reports of May 21, 2023 Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/361881