From Benjamin JohansenSent Friday, January 16, 2026 1:06 PM
Good afternoon from JBA on this chilly Friday. I’ll be your out-of-town pooler for this weekend’s trip to Florida. Marine One was wheels down at 12:58. POTUS disembarked at 1:04, wearing a black overcoat and red tie. POTUS did not stop to gaggle. AF1 will be wheels up shortly. Traveling with POTUS per the WH: WH Deputy Chief of Staff Beau Harrison FLOTUS Chief of Staff Hayley Harrison WH Communications Director Stev…
From Brian BennettSent Friday, January 16, 2026 12:31 PM
The White House press office announced on the overhead that press should gather for South Lawn departure. Brian Bennett Senior White House Correspondent TIME Cell XXX-XXX-XXXX @ByBrianBennett CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This email, including any attachments, may contain information that is confidential and/or proprietary. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender and delete the message, includ…
From Brian BennettSent Friday, January 16, 2026 11:31 AM
President Trump ended the event at 11:23 am and walked out of the room. A nurse practitioner and county commissioner from northwest New Mexico was also one of the panelists who spoke. Toward the end of the event, she praised the Trump administration's efforts to improve accessibility to health care in rural areas. After she spoke, Trump criticized the way elections are run in New Mexico. "They've got to clean up the…
https://who.eop.gov Office of the First Lady January 16, 2026 First Lady Melania Trump Inspires America’s Children to be Curious, Use AI to Achieve their Career Ambitions First Lady Melania Trump advanced her mission to improve America’s children’s understanding of artificial intelligence (AI) today. Her goal to empower the next generation with AI and education reached thousands of schools nationwide, in partnership…
From Brian BennettSent Friday, January 16, 2026 11:13 AM
Event is still going and can be viewed on the CSPAN live stream. Trump described his idea to have health insurance subsidies paid directly to the people buying insurance. Trump: "Why don't we just send that directly to the people instead?" "You're going to have great healtcare at a much lower price." Trump criticized the Affordable Care Act and former President Obama: "Like everything else he did it was crap." Witho…
From Brian BennettSent Friday, January 16, 2026 10:44 AM
Trump said he may use tarrifs to apply pressure in his effort to annex Greenland. (Quote below.) Trump sat and began speaking, sometimes reading from his prepared remarks and sometimes speaking off the cuff. The event is being live streamed on CSPAN's website President Trump: "I'm all about the rural community." President Trump says his Administration is rolling out $50 billion in rural health care funding. "With th…
As President Donald J. Trump delivers on the promise that secured his overwhelming re-election, Minnesota’s “leaders” have chosen defiance over partnership. Instead of working with the Trump Administration to uphold the law and protect public safety, the state’s Democrat politicians have repeatedly boasted of their so-called “sanctuary” status, encouraged resistance, and smeared ICE officers. This toxic combination…
From Brian BennettSent Friday, January 16, 2026 10:20 AM
President Trump entered the East Room at 10:17 am. He sat at a U shaped table along with other speakers for the discussion. Among the people at the table: Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., CMMS Administrator Mehmet Oz. About 130 people are seated in chairs in the audience. There are a lot of guests in what look like white doctor's coats in the second and third row of seating.…
From Brian BennettSent Friday, January 16, 2026 9:43 AM
The pool and other pre-credentialed media have been told to gather at 9:40 am for President Trump's rural health roundtable in the East Room. The event is scheduled to begin at 10 am. It is titled: "Great, Historic Investment in Rural Health Roundtable with President Donald J. Trump." Here is a link to the C-SPAN live feed: https://www.c-span.org/event/white-house-event/pres-trump-hosts-rural-health-roundtable/43958…
President Donald J. Trump took office on a promise to revitalize the American auto industry — and after just one year, he has unquestionably delivered. Today, as President Trump visits Michigan and tours the home to the assembly of Ford’s iconic F-150 pickup truck, the nation celebrates the U.S. auto industry’s robust resurgence under his leadership. Under President Trump’s America First agenda, the American auto in…
@realDonaldTrump As Steve Witkoff announced, we have OFFICIALLY entered the next phase of Gaza’s 20-Point Peace Plan! Since the Ceasefire, my team has helped deliver RECORD LEVELS of Humanitarian Aid to Gaza, reaching Civilians at HISTORIC speed and scale. Even the United Nations has acknowledged this achievement as UNPRECEDENTED. These results have set the stage for this next phase. As Chairman of the Board of Peac…
WEEKEND GUIDANCE AND PRESS SCHEDULE FOR FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2026 - MONDAY, JANUARY 19, 2026 FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2026 In-Town Pool TV Corr & Crew: NBC Secondary TV Corr: Scripps Photos: AP, AFP, NYT, Reuters, Getty Print: TIME Secondary Print: USA Today Radio: CBS New Media: Breitbart Out-of-Town Travel Pool TV Corr & Crew: NBC Secondary TV Corr: Univision Photos: AP, AFP, NYT, Reuters, Getty Print: Politico Secondar…
From John BennettSent Thursday, January 15, 2026 6:05 PM
The White House called a travel/photo lid at 6 p.m. Have a nice evening, folks. A query from your pooler on whether POTUS accepted Ms. Machado's Nobel Peace Prize medallion had gone unanswered by the White House as of lid time. If an answer comes, your pooler will on-pass. —30— John T. Bennett White House Correspondent & Editor-at-Large [EMAIL ADDRESS] (mailto:[EMAIL ADDRESS]) Online: rollcall.com X: @bennettjohnt
From John BennettSent Thursday, January 15, 2026 5:13 PM
Hope this is helpful: https://otter.ai/u/MH28sFLww7aDxjMGkyX1syHExAU John T. Bennett White House Correspondent & Editor-at-Large [EMAIL ADDRESS] (mailto:[EMAIL ADDRESS]) Online: rollcall.com X: @bennettjohnt
From John BennettSent Thursday, January 15, 2026 4:42 PM
The event wrapped at 4:40 p.m. No news detected. The Panthers presented Trump with two championship rings, a golden hockey stick and the aforementioned red sweater. “Good for slashing,” Trump said of the stick. They posed for pictures and chatted. POTUS departed the East Room at 4:40 sharp. There is nothing else on his public schedule. More TK. John T. Bennett White House Correspondent & Editor-at-Large [EMAIL ADDRE…
From John BennettSent Thursday, January 15, 2026 4:38 PM
The event is ongoing. POTUS has concluded his remarks. As always, please check quotes against transcript and/or video. President Trump said the Panthers had the “aura of winning” last season and had the “most dominant Playoff run in history.” Trump verbally jabbed at Canada, noting the Panthers defeated the Edmonton Oilers in the Cup Finals. He chuckled while noting “you denied Canada the Stanley Cup,” adding: “ we…
From John BennettSent Thursday, January 15, 2026 4:23 PM
President Trump entered the East Room via the center aisle — rectangle configuration today, stage backs up against ballroom construction site — at 4: 21 p.m. to “Hail to the Chief,” accompanied by the Panthers’ owner and top player. POTUS is speaking. The Panthers took the stage at 4:19 p.m. to applause, all wearing bright red ties. (Your pooler spotted a few ties on the risers that were more muted shades of red.) T…
From John BennettSent Thursday, January 15, 2026 3:52 PM
The pool and other pre-credentialed media have been told to gather at 3:55 p.m. for President Trump's event with the 2025 Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers in the East Room. We're heading to the gather location. The event will be broadcast and streamed live, at the usual places, including by our friends at C-SPAN; a link is below. Your pooler will signal when the event begins, and send some color/highlights afte…
From CRISTINA OLEA FERNANDEZSent Thursday, January 15, 2026, 2:39 PM
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado entered the West Wing around noon and left it a few minutes before 2.30PM. She was caught on camera through the fence. Now she is heading to the Capitol, where she is scheduled to meet Senators from both parties at 3PM. Following that meeting, she will talk to the press in front of the Capitol steps (around 4PM). RTVE Cristina Olea Washington Bureau Chief Radiotelevi…
From John BennettSent Thursday, January 15, 2026 2:28 PM
The White House had no update, when your pooler inquired minutes ago, to pass along about the status of President Trump's lunch meeting with Venezuelan opposition leader Machado. There have been no changes to the Daily Guidance. The next thing up, as of now, will be President Trump's 4 p.m. event with the Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers in the East Room. If that changes, your pooler will let you all know ASAP.…