Pool Reports by Cat Zakrzewski, The Washington Post
| Sent: | Reports: |
| October 27, 2025 08:18 MYT |
In Town Pool Report #1 Malaysia Good morning from Malaysia, where I'll be your print pooler for today. The pool is being swept at the RON in advance of our flight to Japan. No changes yet to the schedule that the White House shared last night (in local times). MYT 10:00 AM THE PRESIDENT departs Kuala Lampur, Malaysia, en route Tokyo, Japan JST 6:30 PM THE PRESIDENT participates in a Courtesy Call and Visit with the Emperor of Japan |
| October 27, 2025 09:12 MYT |
Out of Town Pool Report #2 Rolling to Airport The motorcade is rolling to the airport at 9:11 AM. People pressed against the glass inside shops surrounding the hotel to get a glimpse of the vehicles as POTUS departed. The pool did not see POTUS enter the vehicles. Correction: Last pool report subject should be Out of Town Report not In Town. |
| October 27, 2025 09:54 MYT |
Out of Town Pool Report #3 Arrival at Airport The motorcade arrived at the airport at 9:54 AM after a largely uneventful ride. POTUS posted on Truth Social during the ride: |
| October 27, 2025 10:06 MYT |
Out of Town Pool Report #4 Airport Farewell Wearing a gold tie and a blue suit, POTUS once again was greeted by dancers and people waving Malaysian and American flags at the airport. He walked down a red carpet that was flanked by military officials. The pool has asked the White House for the names of the Malaysian delegation that greeted him at the airport today. POTUS boarded AF1 without speaking to the press. He pumped his fist and waved goodbye to the dancers and crowd before boarding the plane, and he appeared to say, "Thank you." |
| October 27, 2025 10:10 MYT |
Out of Town Pool Report #5 Wheels Up We are wheels up at 10:10 AM. The flight is about six hours long, and we are expected to land in Japan shortly after 5 PMlocal time. There is a one hour time difference between KL and Tokyo. |
| October 27, 2025 17:02 JST |
Out of Town Pool Report #6 Gaggle with Trump and cabinet officials We are wheels down at 4:59 PM. POTUS, Secretary of State Rubio, USTR Rep. Greer and Treasury Secretary Bessent came to the press cabin shortly before 2 PM MYT and gaggled with the press for about 32 minutes. The gaggle covered many topics including trade deals, Elon Musk and North Korea. Otter TK but here are some highlights. Q: Could you tell us a little bit about how the Lula meeting went yesterday? POTUS: "Very good. We had a good meeting. We'll see what happens. I don't know anything's gonna happen, but we'll see. they'd ll like to do a deal. We'll see, right now they're paying, I guess 50% tariff. But we had a great meeting. And happy birthday. I want wish the president happy birthday, okay? It's his birthday today. He's a very vigorous guy actually, and it was very impressive, but today's his birthday, so happy birthday." Q: Secretary Bessent and Secretary Greer both said … you are near a framework. … Give us a status on the talks with the Chinese and where that sets things up for Thursdays meeting? Bessent: "we had a very good meeting." POTUS: But nothing has been agreed to yet. … But we feel good. Q: When are the Canada tariffs going to take effect? POTUS: "I don't know when it's going to kick in. We'll see." Q: Will you meet with the Canadian prime minister at APEC? POTUS: "I don't want to meet with him. I'm not going to be meeting with him for a long time." Q: On the fed search, where are you on interviewing candidates for a new chair? Bessent: "We're down to five. … We're going to do a second round and we hope to present a good slate to the president right after Thanksgiving. It will ultimately be his choice." Q: Russia this week tested a new missile that can go more than 8000 miles. Is that saber rattling? POTUS: "They know we have a nuclear submarine… Are you considering an additional sanctions against Russia? POTUS: "You'll find out." Q: What are you going to announce in Japan? POTUS: "Great friendship. I look forward to meeting the new prime minister. She was a great ally and friend of Abe, who was my friend … He was one of the best. … I know they were very close, and I think philosophically they were close, which is very good. It really helps to Japan and the United States." Q: Will you sign a final deal on TikTok on Thursday? POTUS: "We might. That will be one of the things we'll be discussing … I mean we got an original approval from President Xi. I expect we have an approval, but I'd rather wait a couple of days to let you know." Has there been a snag in terms of the South Korean trade talks? Bessent: Just a lot of details to work out. It's a very complicated deal and I think we're very close. Do you expect to finalize that Wednesday? Bessent: "I think not quite. I think the overall framework is done, we're just crossing the t's and dotting the i's." Q: Are the South Koreans asking for visa guarantees as part of their investment fund? POTUS: "This is not just South Korea. This is when they come into our country, we have a lot of factories being built by outside, by foreign interest. When they come in, some of these factories make very, very complex, very highly sophisticated equipment. They've gotta bring people in with them for a period of time, and they'll teach our people how to do it. But even for a fairly long period of time, they're gonna need expertise to be successful." Q: What visa would they come in on? "We're doing a whole new plan for that." Q: You talked about North Korea on your way here. Have you heard anything back from Kim Jong Un? POTUS: "I haven't mentioned it. I haven't said anything, but I'd love to meet with him if he'd like to meet. … If he wants to meet I'll be in South Korea." Q: Would you extend your trip in Asia? POTUS: "Well I haven't thought of it … I think the answer would be yeah. It is our last stop so it's pretty easy to do. I would meet with him. Q: What could US offer him? "If he'd like to meet I'm around. I'll be in South Korea so I can be right over there." "Well, we have sanctions. It's pretty big … I would say that's about as big as you get. … I just had a good relationship with him. I would love to see him if he wants to, if he even gets this message. We haven't mentioned that, but he knows I'm going over there. If he'd like to meet, I'd love to meet him. Q: How is your relationship with Elon these days? POTUS: I think it's good, you saw that during Charlie's beautiful tribute. … I like Elon, I've always liked him. Q: Have you talked to him since the memorial? POTUS: "Uhh… on and off, a little bit. … Nothing much." "I've always liked him. He had a bad spell, he had a bad period. He had a bad moment. It was a stupid moment in his life, very stupid. I'm sure he'd tell you that. But I like Elon, and I suspect I always will." Q: Over the weekend, Israel assassinated a military official of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement, does that violate the ceasefire? Rubio: "Israel didn't surrender their right to self defense. … We don't view that as a violation of the ceasefire. They have a right if there's an imminent threat to Israel … and all the mediators agree to that." Q: When will you make a decision on Fed? POTUS: "I'd say maybe by the end of the year. Bessent: "Before Christmas." Q: Are you going to invite Xi to Mar a Lago "I pretty much agreed that I'll be going to China. … President Xi will be coming into maybe Washington or Palm Beach or someplace sometime after." |
| October 27, 2025 17:31 JST |
Out of Town Pool Report #7 Japan Airport Arrival POTUS exited Air Force One and was greeted on the tarmac by officials including the U.S. Ambassador to Japan. Full list of greeters included below. Pool did not see POTUS board Marine One as we were escorted to a Nighthawk. We are wheels up from HND at 5:23 PM. Next event is the visit with the emperor of Japan. The White House shares the following list of travelers on today’s flight to Japan. AF1 Travelers: Secretary Marco Rubio The White House also shares the following list of greeters in Tokyo at HND: H.E. Minoru Kihara H.E. George E. Glass Mrs. Mary Glass H.E.Shigeo Yamada Lt. General Stephen F. Jost Mr. Tadayuki Miyashita Mr. Aaron D. Snipe |
| October 27, 2025 17:51 JST |
Out of Town Pool Report #8 Wheels down and Rolling Marine One was wheels down at 5:42 PM. Pool could not view POTUS exiting Marine One from the press vans. Motorcade is rolling to the Imperial Palace at 5:50 PM for POTUS visit with the emperor. Pool is expected to hold in vans during the visit. |
| October 27, 2025 18:12 JST |
Out of Town Pool Report #9 Imperial Residence Arrival Motorcade arrived at the Imperial Residence at 6:07 PM. Pool is holding in vans, but we are expecting a transmission pool feed of POTUS greeting the emperor. There is also limited photo access. |
| October 27, 2025 19:15 JST |
Out of Town Pool Report #10 Motorcade Rolling The motorcade is rolling from the Imperial Residence at 7:12 PM on way to the RON. Pool did not see POTUS or the emperor. |
| October 27, 2025 19:21 JST |
Out of Town Pool Report #11 Arrival at RON The motorcade arrived at the RON at 7:19 PM. Pool did not see POTUS. |
| October 27, 2025 19:31 JST |
Out of Town Pool Report #12 Travel/Photo Lid We have a travel/photo lid at 7:27 PM. I will still send the Otter of gaggle as soon as I can connect to WiFi. Arigato |
| October 27, 2025 19:31 JST |
Out of Town Pool Report #13 Otter Here's a link to the Otter of today's gaggle on Air Force One: |
Donald J. Trump (2nd Term), Pool Reports of October 27, 2025 Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/378963