Pool Reports of September 2, 2025

WH in-town pool report #1 – Lunch lid

Good afternoon. The White House has called a lunch lid until 12:30 pm ET.

WH in-town pool report #2 – Awaiting official call for gather

The White House has not officially called for your pool to gather or informed us of a change to the schedule, but we have nevertheless gathered at the press room doors for the president's 2:00 pm ET announcement.

WH in-town pool report #3 – Gather and movement

Pool officially gathered at 2:40 pm ET. We're moving toward the Oval.

WH in-town pool report #4 – Oval

Your pool was ushered in to the Oval at 2:46 pm ET. POTUS was already standing at a podium flanked by Defense Department leadership and Alabama lawmakers next to the Resolute Desk.

He's announcing that Space Command will be headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama, which he said would henceforth be known as "Rocket City."

Event ongoing.

WH in-town pool report #5 – Speeches ongoing

POTUS said he was moving Space Command to Alabama in part because Colorado has mail-in voting, which he said means the state has "automatically crooked elections."

He said that work on missile defense would occur at the new site.

"We're going to be having a Golden Dome the likes of which no one's seen before."

Vice President Vance joked that he lobbied hard for Spacecom to relocate to Ohio, and lauded the creation of the Space Force in the first Trump administration.

Alabama lawmakers are also praising the president. Event ongoing.

WH in-town pool report #6 – Venezuela action

POTUS said he just received a briefing about a military operation against a sea vessel involved in the drug trade coming out of Venezuela. The U.S. "shot out a boat," he said, providing few details.

"We took it out," he said.

He's taking questions. POTUS said he hasn't seen rumors that he died over the weekend.

WH in-town pool report #7 – Presser ongoing

POTUS said his purported absence over the weekend, with minimal engagement with the press, was routine under his predecessor, Joe Biden. After saying he had not heard the rumors of his death, he changed course and said that he had.

"I heard that. I got reports," he said.

"No, I was very active over the weekend," he added. "It's fake news."

On Putin, he says that he has "learned things" that the public will learn over the coming days, providing no details.

"We're going to see what happens," he said. "I'm watching it very closely."

He said he has not decided when to send troops to Chicago and referred to California Gov. Gavin Newsom as "newscum," going on extensively about the deployment to Los Angeles over the spring.

But "I have an obligation" to send them, he said. He's referring to DC as a "safe zone" over the past two weeks because of his National Guard deployment. 

Ongoing.

WH in-town pool report #8 – Presser ongoing

He said his obligation to protect the country "includes Baltimore," calling it "one of the most unsafe places anywhere in the world."

He said he hopes Maryland Gov. Moore and Illinois Gov. Pritzker call him for federal help. 

He also suggested another Los Angeles deployment is possible, despite a federal judge ruling today that his June action violated the Posse Comitatus Act. 

"He's going to need us again, because it's starting to form again. I see it."

On a court ruling that his trade policy is illegal, POTUS said he had faith that the Supreme Court would uphold it. He said the court "ruled against our country."

"We're going to be asking for early admittance" and an "expedited ruling," he said.

He suggested a video that went viral online over the weekend, showing someone throwing something out a window in the White House residence, was AI generated, noting that all of the windows are sealed, and complaining that Melania can't get fresh air up there. 

Still going.

WH in-town pool report #9 – Presser ends

Continuing on trade litigation, POTUS said a loss in court would be devastating. "We would have to give trillions and trillions of dollars back," POTUS said. "I can't imagine it happening."

He said the administration has a strong relationship with India despite the ongoing, intensive trade war targeting New Delhi.

"India was charging us tremendous tariffs — about the highest in the world," he said.

Trump also said he's considering some kind of emergency action on mortgages and housing affordability. He didn't provide details, but he's blaming Fed Chair Jerome Powell for the current challenges.

He discussed beautiful of federal buildings and plans for a White House ballroom.

He referred to a decision from a federal judge in California today, ruling that he violated the Posse Comitatus Act, as a "radical left judge," and noted that the judge has allowed him to keep 300 service members stationed there.

The event ended at 3:36 pm ET with your pool ushered out.

WH in-town pool report #10 – Bust of Lincoln

A new bust of Abraham Lincoln, by Gutzon Borglum, has been placed outside the colonnade entrance to the Oval Office. It appears to be a bronze cast of the original marble sculpture located in the Capitol crypt. A gold-framed mirror hangs beside it.

WH in-town pool report #11 – Otter link

An Otter link to the event is available here. Please note that Otter transcriptions are imprecise; this is not a verbatim transcript. Always refer to audio to verify exact quotes.

https://otter.ai/u/buO7Iph6HFN3YpKNjSMAKErkLcE

WH in-town pool report #12 – Lid

The White House called a travel/photo lid at 6 pm ET. Have a good evening.