Pool Reports of October 23, 2025

In-Town Pool 1 schedule details

Good morning. The White House press office has confirmed that the 3pm announcement will be on cartels and human trafficking, as reported by Fox News.

In-Town Pool 2 lunch lid

Lunch lid until 12:10pm.

In-Town Pool 3 briefing soon

Two minute warning on the press briefing.

In-Town Pool 4 briefing

Briefing begins at 1:32

In-Town Pool 5

Briefing wrapped at 2:06pm. Karoline took 32 questions from 19 reporters.

In-Town Pool 6 gather

We’re gathering at the North Portico Steps.

In-Town Pool 7 holding

Holding in the Blue Room at 2:55pm en route to the State Dining Room

In-Town Pool 8 Announcement Event

The pool entered the event at 3:11pm. President Trump entered at 3:24pm.

The event will be live streamed. Please check quotes against recording.

Some people spotted out of camera frame:
NCTC Joe Kent
Dircetor of Secret Service Sean Curran
Corey Lewandowski, SGE

In-Town Pool 9 announcement remarks

Trump began speaking at 5:25pm, saying "it's a great honor to have all my friends here."

Trump referenced his day 1 EOs to designate cartels as foreign terrorist organizations and the Homeland Security Taskforce. He said the taskforce is now working in all states.

"It should now be clear to the entire world that cartels are the ISIS of the Western Hemisphere."

Trump blames Biden for the proliferation of gangs and cartels. "The worst people on the planet they allowed into our beautiful country."

"We're waging war on them like we've never seen before… turn on your television" to see.

Trump is now thanking his cabinet members in attendance.

Remarks are ongoing…

In-Town Pool 10 announcement event continue

Trump said leaders from Jensen and Nvidia and "four or five calls" came to him asking to hold off on sending the national guard to San Francisco and that they're working with the mayor.

"It's possible we won't need to" send troops.

Trump says they'll still focus on Chicago and Portland, adds that Portland is on fire.

"We'll take care of that one. That one's like an insurrection more than anything else" referring to Portland.

In-Town Pool 11
[APP Note: This is the first of two reports numbered '11'.]

Trump said he's going to meet with President of China when he's in Asia. He did not give specifics.

Returning to crime, Trump said the "high tech" and "smartest people in the world" are going to tackle crime issues in San Francisco.

AG Pam Bondi, DHS Sec Noem, DOW Sec Hegseth, DNI Gabbard, Deputy COS Stephen Miller, FBI Dir. Patel, Deputy AG Blanche went around the table to thank Trump, celebrate accomplishments of the task force so far this year and coordination between their different agencies.

Trump begins taking questions at 4:01pm…

In-Town Pool 11 questions
[APP Note: This is the second of two reports numbered '11'.]

On Venezuela
Trump said it's not accurate that bomber planes are headed to Venezuela.

"But we're not happy with them."

"They've emptied their prisons into our country."

On fentanyl
Trump said China is smuggling fentanyl through Venezuela to bypass going through Mexico

On Xi
"The first question I'm going to be asking him is on fentanyl"

Said they're losing a lot of money because of the tariffs.

"They pay a very big penalty for doing that."

Said he'll meet Xi in S. Korea.

On drug boats
"We know everything about them… we have incredible intelligence."

"It's very hard to find any floating vessel right now on the Pacific, on the gulf…"
Then says it was win to call it the Gulf of America and mentions the AP coverage ban.

On updating Congress
"I don't think they'll have a problem with it"

Trump said Hegseth should brief Congress.

On two survivors from boat strikes
Trump gives question to Hegseth… DOW said it's typical in war to return people to their home countries."

On West Bank
"Israel's not going to do anything with the West Bank… don't worry about it."

Questions ongoing…

In-Town Pool 12 event continued…

On Binance pardon
"I don't know he was recommended by a lot of people… I don't know him. I don't believe I've ever met him. … he said he persecuted by the Biden Administration"

On missing children:
"Hundreds of thousands lost through Biden … some are dead, are slaves… this was all Biden, meaning Biden and Obama"

Said Obama but "jail cells for children"

"We never want to have open borders again…

On briefing Congress
"We will go. There's no loss in that.."

"I don't think we're going to necessarily ask for a declaration of war. We're just going to kill people who come into our country…"

On using national guard for deportation
Hegseth said "what we've done so far is stand by law enforcement in every way"

On banning apps to track ICE agents
"I guess we'll do that. I'm not a big app guy"
Bondi said yes to a ban

"They should wear masks… some do it and some don't."

On Russia sanctions/Putin not worried
"I'm glad he feels that way"

On J6 pardonnee being charged last week
"You have thousands of people we're dealing with and if one goes haywire…"
Turns to Virginia AG race controversy

On WH decor/reno
Trump said he spends millions (and his salary) taking care of the WH

On DHS arresting US citizens
"They're arresting bad criminals… every once in a while they may get one wrong"

Questions continue…

In-Town 13 Pool event questions continued

On cartels
"They are in fear in their own country," referring to Mexico and Colombia

"Mexico is run by the cartels. I have a lot of respect for the President…"

On shutdown
"I said long ago we shouldn't have been in this problem."

"I said what the hell are they doing (last shutdown fight), that and debt ceiling… I think the Democrats have gone totally crazy."

"Look at today, this was test and they wouldn't pay people who have been working"

"They suffer, I guess, it's Trump Derangement Syndrome."

On WH reno
Trump said he's raised $350 million

On military pay shortfall
A donor "sent us a check for $130 million… that's going to the shortfall of the military."

Trump finishes questions at 4:46pm.