Live archive
Updates from the White House press pool, searchable as they arrive.
9,279 reports
Good morning from Abu Dhabi, I'll be your print pooler for this final leg of President Trump's trip to the Middle East. We're rolling to the Qasr Al Watan as of 10:39 a.m. Your pooler briefly saw the Beast as the motorcade departed the Ritz. Your pool is in a tricked out party bus and Fox News' Sean Hannity is tagging along.
DAILY GUIDANCE AND PRESS SCHEDULE FOR FRIDAY, MAY 16, 2025 In-Town Travel Pool TV Corr & Crew: NBC Secondary TV: Bloomberg TV Photos: AP, AFP, NYT, Reuters, Getty Print: Washington Examiner Radio: iHeartMedia Secondary Print: AP New Media: The Christian Post Out-of-Town Travel Pool TV Corr: NBC TV Crew: CBS Photos: AP, AFP, NYT, Reuters, Getty Print: Daily Mail Radio: BBC Secondary Print: Washington Post EDT 9:00 PM…
Today, President Donald Trump has designated the following individuals to serve on the advisory boards of the Religious Liberty Commission. On May 1^st, the President signed an Executive Order establishing the Religious Liberty Commission. He designated Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick as chair and Dr. Ben Carson as vice chair, as well as 11 other commission members. Today, he has designated individuals to serve on the th…
At 11:31 pm we were back at the Ritz Carlton and the WH gave us a travel/photo lid. Thanks for bearing with me on this busy day. A shoutout to all the other poolers for invaluable assist and good cheer, especially copooler Alex Leary (WSJ) and Jennifer Jacobs (CBS). Aurelia End AFP White House Correspondent Cell: XXX-XXX-XXXX @aureliaendAFP
Motorcade on the move at 11:05 pm Aurelia End AFP White House Correspondent Cell: XXX-XXX-XXXX @aureliaendAFP
Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Secures $200 Billion in New U.S.-UAE Deals and Accelerates Previously Committed $1.4 Trillion UAE Investment BUILDING LASTING PROSPERITY FOR AMERICA AND OUR ALLIES: Today in Abu Dhabi, President Donald J. Trump announced over $200 billion in commercial deals between the United States and the United Arab Emirates—bringing the total of investment agreements in the Gulf region to o…
At 9:31 pm POTUS sat down to sign the official guest book, the UAE president standing next to him, and he once again told us how "amazing" this trip was. He then, in a rather enigmatic way, said: "we'll be leaving tomorrow morning as you know, almost destination unknown". But POTUS then added that he is "probably going back to Washington DC" Pool now holding during banquet dinner. Aurelia End AFP White House Corresp…
While President Donald J. Trump is in the Gulf region securing over a trillion dollars’ worth of investments in U.S. companies, deals on the home front keep coming: Sanofi announced it will invest at least $20 billion over the next five years in manufacturing and research and development. Kraft Heinz announced a $3 billion investment to upgrade its U.S. factories — its largest investment in its plants in decades. Ca…
At 8:43 pm the pool entered a reception room where POTUS and the UAE president were sitting next to each other in chairs with golden accent. A portrait of the late Sheikh Zayed, the father of the Emirati leader, was placed behind them. The US delegation and the Emirati delegation are also here, their members facing each other. The Abou Dhabi ruler was speaking in Arabic when we got in. At 8:51 pm POTUS started his r…
After touring the exhibit, POTUS and the UAE president briefly approached the pool. POTUS commented on the beauty of the place and added, as he did earlier at the mosque, "it's an amazing culture" They left the hall shortly after 8:30 pm More tk Aurelia End AFP White House Correspondent Cell: XXX-XXX-XXXX @aureliaendAFP
The motorcade reached the presidential palace, a huge complex surrounded by palm trees, elaborate gardens and fountains at 8 pm. While waiting to get in your pool spotted Karoline Leavitt, Susie Wiles, Stephen Miller... We were led to a richly decorated hall complete with marble floors and chandeliers where POTUS and the UAE president were greeting delegations, flags of both countries serving as background. Greeting…
The motorcade reached the presidential palace, a huge complex surrounded by palm trees, elaborate gardens and fountains at 8 pm. While waiting to get in your pool spotted Karoline Leavitt, Susie Wiles, Stephen Miller... We were led to a richly decorated hall complete with marble floors and chandeliers where POTUS and the UAE president were greeting delegations, flags of both countries serving as background. Greeting…
At 7:32 pm the motorcade is en route to the Qasr Al Watan, the presidential palace in Abou Dhabi. Aurelia End AFP White House Correspondent Cell: XXX-XXX-XXXX @aureliaendAFP
Pool currently holding at the Riz-Carlton ahead of the evening state visit program. Aurelia End AFP White House Correspondent Cell: XXX-XXX-XXXX @aureliaendAFP
At 5:45 pm the motorcade left the mosque, its immaculately white minarets and domes an impressive sight in the late afternoon light. Thanks a lot to Jennifer Jacobs of CBS and to other colleagues for sharing these quotes of the short remarks POTUS made inside the mosque. "Isn't this beautiful? It is so beautiful." "This is an incredible culture" "This is the first time they've closed the mosque for the day. Is that…
At 5:03 pm POTUS and the UAE dignitaries appeared at the end of a colonnade made of delicate arches and white pillars, adorned with golden accents and intricate flower inlays. They walked towards the pool which was then promptly led away and brought into a gigantic prayer hall. More flowers here, this time as motives on the carpet, probably the biggest your pooler has ever seen. There is a massive chandelier hanging…
Vice President JD Vance will lead a U.S. Delegation to Vatican City to attend the inaugural Mass of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV on Sunday, May 18, 2025. Vice President Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance will be joined by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Mrs. Jeanette Rubio. Pope Leo XIV is the first American Pope. Vice President Vance is the first Catholic convert to serve as Vice President.
At 4:57 pm the motorcade reached the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. Also note that there was a typo in a previous pool report on the UAE president's name which is Sheikh Khaled Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (and not Al Nahya) More tk The WH shares this Greeter for arrival ceremony: H.H. Sheikh Khaled Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, H.E. Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Executive Affai…
At 4:38 pm the motorcade is rolling from the airport. Next stop is Sheik Zayed Grand Mosque Should be a 10 minute ride. And here are fuller quotes of POTUS on getting together with Putin. As always please check against audio/video "Look, nothing's going to happen until Putin and I get together, ok? And obviously he wasn't going to go. He was going to go, but he thought I was going to go. He wasn't going if I wasn't…
Here is another link to the plane gaggle for those who asked hope it works https://otter.ai/u/CEcA_Ag8BNVz2i3InBWSXAKqPRc Aurelia End AFP White House Correspondent Cell: XXX-XXX-XXXX (tel:XXX-XXX-XXXX) @aureliaendAFP