Pool Reports of September 8, 2025

Pool Report 1/Rolling

The motorcade began rolling to the nearby Museum of the Bible at 10:00 for the Religious Liberty Commission event.

A few minutes before he entered the motorcade, President Trump briefly exited the Oval Office and gestured at something in the Rose Garden area.

Pool Report 2/Arrival

The motorcade stopped near the museum at 10:06. We did not see President Trump exit the Beast.

Pool Report 3/Trump up

Attorney General Pam Bondi began speaking at 10:34 ahead of President Trump, who walked out at 10:36.

Please pull up CSPAN or the WH YouTube page for full quotes.

There are about 470 people in the museum's auditorium, we're told.

Participants, per the White House: 

• Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, Chair
• Dr. Ben Carson, Vice Chair
• Ryan T. Anderson
• Bishop Robert Barron
• Carrie Prejean Boller
• Cardinal Timothy Dolan
• Pastor Franklin Graham
• Allyson Ho
• Dr. Phil McGraw
• Eric Metaxas
• Kelly Shackelford 
• Rabbi Meir Soloveichik
• Pastor Paula White

Pool Report 4/Remarks

President Trump said the goal of his remarks was to support religious liberty in schools and root out "anti-religious propaganda."

Trump announced the Education Department will be unveiling new guidance soon on prayer in schools.

He said Sen. Tim Kaine "should be ashamed of himself" for his "terrible words" about whether rights come from God or the government.

Toward the start, Trump gave shout-outs to commission members on stage, likening Cardinal Timothy Dolan to a king in NYC, recounting how personal Dr. Phil's question can be, and recalling his prior rivalry with Ben Carson.

He also said that he was donating his family Bible to the museum.

On the murder of Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte train, Trump said, "I just give my love and hope to the family." He said the video of her stabbing by a "lunatic" was "not really watchable."

"When you have horrible killings, you have to take horrible actions," Trump said, quickly mentioning bail policies in places such as Chicago.

"We'd love to go into Chicago," he said. "We're waiting for a call from Chicago."

"The people of DC are thrilled," he said, mentioning that Mayor Bowser was "taking a lot of heat" from fellow Democrats for complying with his policing takeover.

"She's allowing it. But look, she's going to either allow it or we'll just do it," he added.

About 15 minutes in, a 12-year-old boy from California came to the stage and told a story about alleged discrimination involving a school book on changing genders.

His biggest applause line seemed to be about pardoning anti-abortion activists, after which he slammed the Biden administration as mean and former President Biden as "a mean guy."

"They're having a hard time getting jobs, and that's the way it should be, Trump said.

Trump concluded at 11: 28 after HUD Secretary Scott Turner led an enthusiastic group prayer.

Pool Report 5/Back at WH

The motorcade was rolling again at 11:34 and arrived at the White House at 11:39.

President Trump walked into the Oval Office out of earshot from the pool, which was positioned near a growing pile of tree branches and chainsawed shrubs on the site of the future WH ballroom.

We have a lunch lid until 12:45.

Pool Report 6/Lid

We have a travel/photo lid.