Pool Reports of October 21, 2025

In-Town Pool Report #1 -- Checking In

Good morning on this brisk late October in Washington, DC. I'll be your pooler today.

I've been told POTUS's schedule has not changed since it was announced last night. The first event we are expected to see him is at the Rose Garden lunch with Republican Senators at noon. Though, as always, that could change.

11:00 AM THE PRESIDENT participates in the Richard Nixon Architect of Peace Award Ceremony
Oval Office
Closed Press

12:00 PM THE PRESIDENT hosts a Rose Garden Club Lunch
Rose Garden
White House Press Pool

4:00 PM THE PRESIDENT participates in a Diwali Celebration
Oval Office
White House Press Pool

7:00 PM THE PRESIDENT hosts a Rose Garden Club Dinner
Rose Garden
Closed Press

In-Town Pool Report #2 — Gathering

The pool has gathered at the briefing room doors for the president’s lunch with GOP senators in the Rose Garden.

In-Town Pool Report #3 — Spotted in the crowd

Here are a list of some of the senators and other notables spotted in the crowd with the assistance of my copoolers, who were all a huge help

YMCA is blaring over the sound system while we await POTUS remarks.

GOP Senators - in no particular ordet
Tim Scott
Chuck Grassley
Ted Cruz
John Barrasso
Mitch McConnell
James Lankford
Bill Cassidy
Ashley Moody
Joni Ernst
Bill Hagerty
Jim Banks
Markwayne Mullen
Cindy Hyde Smith
Katie Britt
USTR Jameison Greer
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent

In-Town Pool Report #4 -POTUS speaks

POTUS began speaking at 12:28. I'll send any relevant qoutes along with an otter recording.

Others spotted in the crowd include

Sens. Lindsey Graham and Josh Hawley

Stephen Miller and Sec of State Marco Rubio

After YMCA stopped playing, The Rolling Stones "You Can't Always Get What You Want" began playing.

In Town Pool Report # 5 — POTUS remarks over

POTUS stopped speaking at 1:10 after speaking for roughly 42 minutes.

Sen John Thune took the microphone after POTUS stopped speaking. Thune spoke for about two minutes.

POTUS topics included the White House renovations, tariffs and criticism — without naming him directly — of Rand Paul for always voting no. POTUS said he was only GOP senator not to attend today's event.

The pool was positioned at the other end of Rose Garden and too far to shout questions.

At one point POTUS introduced Russ Voight as "Darth Vader."

"They call him Darth Vader. I call him a fine man."

Quotes TK. Otter is attached

https://otter.ai/u/kEMYa1FrYyfkDcpR3qdxgkMdMZ4

In Town Pool Report #6 --Lunch lid /Quotes

We have a lunch lid until 2:15 Here are some quotes.

It's worth noting that at one point POTUS mused about reopening the museums in DC that have been shutdown because of the shutdown

"Tourists are unable to visit the museums in Washington DC. We now have beautiful safe streets, but we don't have the museums open. We should probably just open them."

POTUS pointing a wall along the Rose Garden walk and Jacike Kennedy

"On the other side of the wall, that was the swimming pool where Jackie would say, 'I hear women inside. Women inside.' Quite famous. I'm not saying anything. That was part of a movie and the Secret Service said, "No, ma'm.. There's no women inside

"We are building a world class ballroom. You probably hear the beautiful sound of construction. You hear that sound? I think when I hear that sound it reminds me of money. In this case it reminds me of the lack of money because I'm paying for it."

Tariffs

"Tarffis equal national security. I mentioned eight wars – nine coming – of the eight, five were based solely on trade and tariffs."

Potus said he called India and Pakistan and told them he's not doing a trade deal if they keep fighting. He said that ended the fighting between India and Pakistan

"We stopped the potential disaster, a nuclear disaster because of trade and its been really amazing."

Urged the GOP senators to pass Katie's law, in honor of Katie Steinlee. The law would mandate 10 year jail sentences for illegal immigrants who get deported and come back.

"I hear we are going to get it passed in Congress and when it gets up to the senate, I hope you guys can pass it."

"Its going to keep repeat offenders from coming."

On shutdown

"Chuck Schumer and the Democrats need to vote for a clean bipartisan CR and reopen our government. GOt to be reopened right now."

"They are the obstructionists and the reason they are doing it is because we're doing so well. We're doing so well all over the world.

In-Town Pool Report #8 GOP Sens Gaggle

Sens Thune, Barrasso, and Lankford spoke in that order with Thune taking questions.

Thune called the meeting "A great opportunity to meet with the president and talk about something that unifies all Republicans. Senate Republicans, House Republicans are all in favor of reopening the federal government.

The longer the federal government stays closed, the more the impacts are being felt – robber benefit delays, farmers are being impacted. Millions of people without paychecks. That's what this government shutdown – Democrat government shutdown – is bringing the American people. So we're hopeful that this will be the week when we break out of this and the Democrats come to their senses and decide to open up the government.

We're gonna give them several opportunities, you know, to do that. We'll have another vote on continuing resolution tomorrow or else we can vote on a Ron Johnson resolution that essentially would pay anybody who's currently working. So we'll see how the Democrats react to that.

But the truth of the matter is, you have a bunch of people here, a united team that believes profoundly that we need to get our government open. Democrats want to talk about subjects unrelated to the government.

Barrasso –

Republicans here are united and united and standing strong with President Trump. This government has been closed now for 21 days. Democrats have had a chance to reopen it 11 times, and each time they voted NO NO to reopen the government no to pay the troops no to pay, border patrol, TSA, agents. All of those things critical for our nation, Democrats continue to vote no, and why is that? It's because they're afraid of what Democrat Senate staffer said they were afraid of facing the guillotine of the radical left.

Lankford

Federal workers aren't receiving paychecks. Now, all the different businesses that are around federal buildings, like restaurants and other entities, those individuals and those businesses are being affected by this. So this contagion is now spreading out across the country, for many people that don't work for the federal government, that don't feel it, but there are many people around that do, and they feel it n a very real way. And this is exceptionally unnecessary.

On President Trump getting more involved

Thune – The president is prepared to sit down and have conversations with the Democrats.

On Thune talking more with Sen. Schumer

We talk on a somewhat regular basis. He wants to talk to me. Our office is right down the hallway. He knows my cell phone, and if he's got something else to offer up, other than this crazy, unserious, unrealistic proposals they have out there, we're prepared to have that conversation.

In-Town Pool Report #9 -- Gathering for the Diwali celebration

The pool is gathering now for the Diwali celebration.

In-Town Pool Report #10 - Diwali celebration closed to press

FROM THE WH: The Diwali Celebration will be closed to the press. The White House will release official photos and videos following the event. A group of Indian-American business leaders and Trump Administration officials will be in attendance, including FBI Director Kash Patel, ODNI Director Tulsi Gabbard, and White House Deputy Press Secretary Kush Desai.

In Town Pool Report 11 - Diwali event now open

The Diwali event has now reopened to the press.

In Town Pool Report 12 -entered the Oval

The pool entered the Oval at 4:29.

In-Town Pool Report 13 - Event begins

The Dilwali celebration in the Oval began at 4:32

Kash Patel, Tusli Gabbard, and Paula White are in attendance along with Indian-American business leaders.

In-Town Pool Report 14 -- Event Ends

The Dilwali celebration ended at 5:14

POTUS quotes -- on why the Putin meeting was postponed

"I don't want to have a wasted meeting, I'll see what happens."

On reports that he’s asking DOJ for compensation for his court cases.

"I guess they probably owe me a lot of money. If its true, it's very interesting."

The president noted that he hasn’t taken a salary.

"I guess they owe me a lot of money, but I’m not looking for money. I think it’s got to be. It’s got be handled in the proper way, but we don’t want it to happen again. We can never let what happened in the 2020 election happen again. We just can’t let that happen.

AllI know is they owe me a lot of money but I’m not looking for money. But look at what they did, they rigged the election."

On whether he feels unfettered now that the court approved the National Guard in Portland

"I can send the National Guard if I see problems. I looked at Portland over the weekend, the place is burning down. Just burning down. We weren’t there. We didnt’ spend time time there because we were waiting for that decision."

On Postponed PUtin meeting "I didn’t want to have a wasted meeting."

You never know what is going to happen but a lot of things are happening on that front, on the war front with Ukraine and Russia and we’ll be notified over the next two days as to what we’re doing."

On NYC mayor's race

"Everything goes through the WHite House at least this White House." he said on the possibility of withholding funds."

On Sliwa dropping out

"And we'll have to see what happens. But if he dropped out, he’s not going to win and not looking too good for Cuomo either. But maybe, I don’t know, if he dropped out, maybe Cumo would have a little bit of a chance, but not much because it's a great lead. "

In-Town Pool Report #15 -- Dinner lid

We have a dinner lid until 6:45

In-Town Pool Report #16 -- Travel Photo lid

We have a travel photo lid at 7:27.

Have a good night. It was a pleasure being your pooler