Vice Presidential Pool Reports of September 3, 2025

VP Travel Report #1 - Minneapolis - Wheels up shortly

Good morning from Joint Base Andrews. Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance are traveling to Minneapolis, Minnesota, today to pay their respects to victims of the Annunciation Catholic Church shooting. They will meet privately with family members affected by the shooting during their visit, according to the VP's office. 

Pool was brought on Air Force Two before the Vances so we did not see them board the plane. The flight to Minneapolis is about two hours and twenty minutes. 

We will be wheels up shortly.

VP Travel Report #2 - Minneapolis - Wheels down

Air Force Two touched down at the Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport at 11:34a CDT. We were wheels up from JBA at 10:20a EDT. 

The VP and SLOTUS stepped off AF2 at 11:51a CDT. The Second Lady is wearing a black skirt and long sleeve top and the Vice President is wearing a navy suit.

The VP and SLOTUS were greeted on the tarmac by Col. Samuel Kraemer, commander of the 934th Airlift Wing, and CMSgt. Jennifer Murphy, senior enlisted of the 934th Airlift Wing, according to the VP's office. They didn't stop to speak to reporters.

Motorcade started rolling at 11:55a CDT.

VP Travel Report #3 - Minneapolis - Annunciation Catholic Church

The VP and SLOTUS arrived at Annunciation Catholic Church at 12:05p CDT. 

There is a group of protestors gathered at the corner closest to the church and someone is chanting "Enough is enough" over a megaphone. Protestors are holding up signs that say "Listen to the Pope, End the Pandemic of Arms," "JD Vance Not Welcome," and "Kids Lives Over Guns." 

The VP and SLOTUS stepped out of their car each holding a bouquet of flowers tied with a blue ribbon. They paused to look at the chalk writing on the steps leading up to the entrance of the church. "God heals the broken hearted," "We love you," and "Show love," is written in colorful chalk on the steps where they stopped. The VP and SLOTUS paused for several moments after placing their bouquets in a bucket among the thousands of flowers outside of the church. 

The names of the two children who were killed in the shooting, Harper and Fletcher, are written in big block letters close to where they placed the flowers. Fletcher Merkel was eight years old and Harper Moyski was 10. There are two crosses with their names on them next to a large stuffed teddy bear and a display of candles. 

There is a bucket of stuffed animals with a sign that says "HELP YOURSELF TO A STUFFY TO HELP YOU DURING THIS TIME," near the entrance of the church. 

The VP and SLOTUS walked into the church and pool was led back to the van in the motorcade, where we are now holding.

VP Travel Report #4 - Minneapolis - Children's Minnesota Hospital

The press pool did not see the VP and Second Lady exit the church or enter their vehicle but the motorcade started rolling at 1:44p CDT. The motorcade passed by more protestors who had gathered on the other side of the church. 

According to a VP spokesperson, the VP and SLOTUS held a private meeting with family members of victims and church leadership at Annunciation Catholic Church. The meeting included: Jesse and Mollie Merkel, parents of Fletcher Merkel; Mike and Jackie Moyski, parents of Harper Moyski; Father Denis Zehren of Annunciation Catholic Church and Matt DeBoer, the principal of Annunciation Catholic School. The VP's office said the VP and SLOTUS also visited the church sanctuary, which is the site of the shooting, to pay their respects to the victims and their families. Pool was holding in the vans and the meetings were closed press. 

After a short ride, the motorcade arrived at Children's Minnesota Hospital at 1:56p CDT. Pool did not see the VP or SLOTUS exit their vehicles and we are holding in the vans. A VP spokesperson said the Vice President and Second Lady are visiting Lydia Kaiser, who is recovering from surgery, and her family.

VP Travel Report #5 - Minneapolis - Vance gaggle

Motorcade was rolling at 2:42pm CDT and by 2:55pm we were at the airport. The Vice President took a few questions on the tarmac. 

Vance said there are no "immediate plans" to send in the national guard to Chicago when asked about how many members of the national guard would be sent and when that would happen.

Please check these quotes to the tape: 

"I mean, look, there are no immediate plans, but the President has said he has the legal authority to protect American citizens, whether that's in Chicago or Washington, DC. Obviously, as the President said, we want the governor to be a partner here. We would love it Democrat or Republican, if we had governors who were willing to actually be partners in cutting down crime. And our country, unfortunately, looks like that's not what we have in JB Pritzker." 

The Vice President said he was not an expert in Minnesota law and that he didn't want to tell state lawmakers how to respond to this tragedy when asked about Gov. Walz calling a special legislative session to consider potential new gun laws. 

"Look, I'm not going to tell the Minnesota lawmakers or the governor exactly how they should respond to this tragedy. I think that there are, obviously, there's a strong desire from across the political spectrum to do something so that these shootings are less common. I think that it's important that they actually take steps that are favorable, that are going to work. But besides that, I'm not an expert in Minnesota law. I won't pretend to be. I would just say, take the concerns of these parents seriously. I think all of us, Democrat, Republican and independent, want these school shootings to happen less frequently. Hopefully there's some steps that we can take to make that happen." 

A few more quotes: 

"We should talk more about these kids. We should talk less about the shooter." 

"I have never had a day that will stay with me like this day did." 

"Say a prayer for this innocent girl who is actually in surgery right now… She is still in a fight for their life." 

Here is the otter: 
https://otter.ai/u/uYkVsSns0Sh_bQKaC3ahJvqlZKs

A spokesperson for the VP also says the Vice President and Second Lady spoke on the phone with Weston Halsne, who is in recovery from surgery, and his family while they were at the hospital. The spokesperson said Halsne was not yet well enough to be visited in person. 

The VP and SLOTUS boarded AF2 at 3:07pm CDT and we will be wheels up shortly.

VP Travel Report #6 - Minneapolis - Wheels down at JBA

Air Force Two was wheels down at Joint Base Andrews at 6:18pm ET. The VP and SLOTUS didn't stop to take questions before boarding Marine Two and were wheels up at 6:32p ET.

That's all from your print pooler today — have a great night, everyone!