From John BennettSent Saturday, April 18, 2026 7:49 PM
After a speedy and uneventful ride, POTUS’s motorcade arrived at the White House at 7:45 p.m. The White House called a travel/photo lid at 7:46 p.m. Groups on-lookers at 17th Street and Pennsylvania documented the motorcade on their phones. Have a good night, folks. —30— John T. Bennett White House Correspondent & Editor-at-Large Roll Call & CQ E-mail: [EMAIL ADDRESS] Digital: rollcall.com X: @bennettjohnt
From John BennettSent Saturday, April 18, 2026 7:15 PM
The last report should have been #12. John T. Bennett White House Correspondent & Editor-at-Large Roll Call & CQ E-mail: [EMAIL ADDRESS] Digital: rollcall.com X: @bennettjohnt
From John BennettSent Saturday, April 18, 2026 7:13 PM
After a lengthy stay at his golf club in Sterling, the president’s motorcade rolled at 7:11 p.m. Fellow poolers with sharp eyes said Trump was wearing a white polo shirt. As we waited, a caddy walked through the parking lot carrying a golf bag with White House special envoy Steve Witkoff’s name on it. USSS personnel wiped down the presidential SUVs, which gleamed in the springtime sun. A uniformed officer drove by i…
From John BennettSent Saturday, April 18, 2026 5:31 PM
The pool has loaded back into the vans and moved into position to take our place in the presidential motorcade. No word from the White House on whether President Trump hit the links, or what he has been doing at his golf club, on what has become a spectacular spring day in the Mid-Atlantic. We have not seen POTUS since he headed inside the club and we headed to the tennis center to hold. More TK. John T. Bennett Whi…
From John BennettSent Saturday, April 18, 2026 1:38 PM
After an uneventful trip, the motorcade arrived at Trump National Golf Club Washington, D.C., in bucolic Sterling, Va., at 1:33 p.m. POTUS entered the club at 1:34 p.m. He was still wearing the blue suit from earlier in the Oval Office. Police officers from various departments blocked traffic along the way. Some drivers on the Fairfax County Parkway rolled down their windows to document the motorcade on their smartp…
From John BennettSent Saturday, April 18, 2026 1:01 PM
The president’s motorcade began rolling at 12:58 p.m. Destination has not been disclosed. More casually dressed USSS personnel were spotted loading into vehicles. And a Virginia State Police SUV was near the front of the motorcade. The presidential SUV with flags flapping rolled by our van at 12:59 p.m. We are on the move. More TK. John T. Bennett White House Correspondent & Editor-at-Large Roll Call & CQ E-mail: [E…
From John BennettSent Saturday, April 18, 2026 12:31 PM
The pool has gathered for a presidential movement. No word on our destination but your pooler spotted USSS personnel in polo shirts and khakis when I was walking in this morning. We are headed to the vans. The president is departing from the North Lawn today. Music had been heard from the Rose Garden. John T. Bennett White House Correspondent & Editor-at-Large Roll Call & CQ E-mail: [EMAIL ADDRESS] Digital: rollcall…
EXECUTIVE ORDER ________________________________________________________________ By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered: Section 1. Purpose and Policy. Policymakers and the medical field have long struggled to address the burden of suicide and serious mental illness rates in America. Today, over 14 million American adults have…
From John BennettSent Saturday, April 18, 2026 10:09 AM
On Iran, President Trump said his administration has "a much different view on it than other presidents," adding: "They've gotten away with murder for 47 years and [they're] not getting away with it anymore." That came after his brief remarks on Iran, which came after he signed the medical research order: TRUMP: "This is such an important subject, I'd rather let this just speak for itself, and we'll be talking about…
From John BennettSent Saturday, April 18, 2026 9:59 AM
President Trump dismissed the pool at 9:57 a.m. He did not take any questions on Iran. President Trump said things were going well with Iran, and his team expected to get some more information on the situation later today. Trump was asked why he didn’t sign such an order in his first term for this kind of research, and replied no one told him about it. Earlier, Joe Rogan said his outreach to Trump got things in moti…
From John BennettSent Saturday, April 18, 2026 9:47 AM
POTUS signed the executive order at 9:45 a.m. Trump said he would prefer questions about the medical research EO. He is now talking about the Iran conflict. Trump, wearing a blue suit, white shirt and a red and blue tie, joked that Rogan is a “little bit more liberal” than he is, but POTUS called the popular podcaster an “amazing guy.” Dr. Oz on getting to the point of the EO: “The president just would not take no f…
From John BennettSent Saturday, April 18, 2026 9:22 AM
President Trump said the order “directs the FDA to expedite their review of certain psychedelics already designated as breakthrough therapy drugs.” The EO “will clear away unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles, improve data sharing among the FDA and the Department of Veterans Affairs, and facilitate fast rescheduling of any psychedelic drugs that become FDA approved.” He predicted some approvals should go quickly. Presid…
From John BennettSent Saturday, April 18, 2026 9:10 AM
Pool entered the Oval at 9:06 a.m. President Trump is seated at the Resolute Desk and is speaking. Link to stream in previous reports. More TK. John T. Bennett White House Correspondent & Editor-at-Large Roll Call & CQ E-mail: [EMAIL ADDRESS] Digital: rollcall.com X: @bennettjohnt
From John BennettSent Saturday, April 18, 2026 9:01 AM
The pool has been called to gather for President Trump's event in the Oval Office, which the White House says will be an EO-signing on medical research with some special guests. Pooler will send color and newsy quotes. Live stream: https://www.c-span.org/event/white-house-event/president-trump-signs-executive-order/442326 More TK. John T. Bennett White House Correspondent & Editor-at-Large Roll Call & CQ E-mail: [EM…
From John BennettSent Saturday, April 18, 2026 8:41 AM
Good morning from the White House. Your pooler has asked the White House for information about the 9 a.m. event in the Oval Office. If anything lands, I will on-pass. The event will be live-streamed at the usual places, including by C-SPAN. A link is below. Live stream: https://www.c-span.org/event/white-house-event/president-trump-signs-executive-order/442326 More TK. John T. Bennett White House Correspondent & Edi…
From Ashley MurraySent Friday, April 17, 2026, 11:22 PM EDT
Marine One touched down on the White House South Lawn at 11:17PM. President Trump exited at 11:20PM. He did not stop to talk to the press. Ashley Murray Washington Senior Reporter States Newsroom
From Myah WardSent Friday, April 17, 2026 11:09 PM EDT
Apologies for delivery time and stray TK in pool report 18. Email was stuck in my outbox upon landing. AF1 was wheels down at 10:51 pm. POTUS walked off AF1 at 11:02 pm, waved and boarded M1. M1 was wheels up at 11:08 pm for the White House. Handing off to in-town pool. Thanks everyone! Myah Ward White House reporter POLITICO XXX-XXX-XXXX
From Myah WardSent Friday, April 17, 2026 11:02 PM EDT
On restrictions / tolls managed by Iran on the strait, “Nope” .. “No, there are not going to be tolls” FISA — on push to link save America act “I’d love to see that. The save America act is so important.” More on Iran: Said Lebanon and Israel ceasefire was not tied to progress with Iran Frustration with Netanyahu? “He’s been a very good partner … we disagree on some things” On nuclear dust: Timeline? POTUS said he c…
From Myah WardSent Friday, April 17, 2026 11:00 PM EDT
AF1 touched down at JBA at TK. POTUS came back to gaggle right before landing. Some notes from gaggle, more tk -- please compare to audio feed. On Iran “We had some pretty good news 20 minutes ago, but it seems to be going very well in the Middle East with Iran.” “We’ll be negotiating over the weekend” “The blockade’s been very successful, and of equal success has been the five weeks before the blockade, the combina…