Pool report #12 / arrival ceremony

The Beast pulled up at 2:48pm, and POTUS emerged and was escorted into an atrium with lots of white marble by His Highness Sheikh Tamin bin Hamad Al Thani - Amir of the State of Qatar

The military officers were called into formation and and band played the Star Spangled Banner. POTUS stood on a red rug in a salute.

One of the officers then came and displayed his sword and then marched toward the other officers as POTUS and the Emir followed behind.

They walked to another ceremonial room, the smell of incense in the air. Pool came in as they were both seated and the emir was speaking about investments and cooperation.

“We are very excited,” the Emir said, saying

“Mr President, I’ve known you for many year. I know that you are a man of peace. I know that you want to bring peace to this region. I hope that this time we can do the right thing and bring peace here in the region.”

He mentioned the US hosting the World Cup (“football. As you guys call it, soccer”) and how they hosted it previously. “There wasn’t one incident here,” he said of their event in 2022. “You did a great job,” Trump responded.

“We’ve liked each other and worked with each other,” Trump said. “And now we can work in the highest capacity.”

He said he appreciated their cooperation, including with Russia and Ukraine.

“We’ll bring peace, not only here, but I know you’re very much involved in helping us in other regions like what’s happening with Russia-Ukraine etcetera. And I think we’re having some pretty good news coming out of there today and maybe tomorrow and maybe Friday frankly. But we’ll see about that.”

He paused and looked around, marveling at the architecture.

“The job you’ve done is second to none. You look at this, it’s so beautiful. As a construction person, I’m seeing perfect marble. This is what they call perfecto.”

He also remarked about the camels he saw upon arrival.

“We appreciate those camels. I haven’t seen camels like that in a long time. And it was some greeting, we appreciate it very much.”

Pool was escorted out after their brief opening remarks, and moved to a room on the other side of the building to is set up wit a desk at the front for a signing ceremony and cushy chairs around the room for the delegations.

Here’s a list of participants here, provided by the WH:

U.S. Delegation:

• Ambassador Timmy Davis, Ambassador to Qatar
• Secretary Marco Rubio, Department of State
• Secretary Scott Bessent, Department of Treasury
• Secretary Pete Hegseth, Department of Defense
• Secretary Howard Lutnick, Department of Commerce
• Secretary Chris Wright, Department of Energy
• Susie Wiles, Chief of Staff
• Steve Witkoff, Special Envoy to the Middle East
• James Blair, Deputy Chief of Staff for Legislative, Political, and Public Affairs
• Stephen Miller, Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Homeland Security Advisor
• David Sacks, White House AI and Crypto Czar
• Karoline Leavitt, Assistant to the President and Press Secretary

Note Taker:

• Eric Trager, Senior Director for Middle East & North Africa

Qatar Delegation:

• H.E. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs
• H.E. Sheikh Saud bin Abdul Rahman Al-Thani, Deputy Prime Minster and Minster of State for Defense Affairs
• H.E. Mr. Abdullah bin Mohammed Al-Khulaifi, Chief of Amiri Diwan
• H.E. Mr. Ali bin Ahmed Al-Kuwari, Minister of Finance
• H.E. Saad bin Sherida Al-Kaabi, Minister of State for Energy Affairs
• H.E. Sheikh Faisal Bin Thani Al-Thani, Minister of Commerce and Industry
• H.E. Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al Khulaifi, Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• H.E. Sheikh Meshal Bin Hamad Al-Thani, Accredited Ambassador to the State of Qatar to the United States of America – in Washington
• H.E. Mr. Saad bin Nasser Al Kaabi, Director of Studies and Research at the Amiri Diwan
• H.E. Mr. Mohammed bin Saif Al-Suwaidi, CEO of Qatar Investment Authority
• H.E. Mr. Jassim bin Mohammed Al Asmakh, Acting Director of the Department of American Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Mr. Hamad bin Mohammed Al Khulaifi, Head of the Foreign Relations Department at the Office of His Excellency the Chief of the Amiri Diwan
• Sheikh Hamah bin Nasser Al-Thani, Office of H.E. the Chief of the Amiri Diwan

Bilateral Meeting Participants:

• His Highness Sheikh Tamin bin Hamad Al Thani - Amir of the State of Qatar

U.S. Delegation:

• Ambassador Timmy Davis, Ambassador to Qatar
• Secretary Marco Rubio, Department of State
• Secretary Scott Bessent, Department of Treasury
• Secretary Pete Hegseth, Department of Defense
• Secretary Howard Lutnick, Department of Commerce
• Secretary Chris Wright, Department of Energy
• Susie Wiles, Chief of Staff
• Steve Witkoff, Special Envoy to the Middle East
• James Blair, Deputy Chief of Staff for Legislative, Political, and Public Affairs
• Stephen Miller, Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Homeland Security Advisor
• David Sacks, White House AI and Crypto Czar
• Karoline Leavitt, Press Secretary

Note Taker:

• Eric Trager, Senior Director for Middle East & North Africa

Qatar Delegation:

• H.E. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs
• H.E. Sheikh Saud bin Abdul Rahman Al-Thani, Deputy Prime Minster and Minster of State for Defense Affairs
• H.E. Mr. Abdullah bin Mohammed Al-Khulaifi, Chief of Amiri Diwan
• H.E. Mr. Ali bin Ahmed Al-Kuwari, Minister of Finance
• H.E. Saad bin Sherida Al-Kaabi, Minster of State for Energy Affairs
• H.E. Sheikh Faisal Bin Thani Al-Thani, Minister of Commerce and Industry
• H.E. Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al Khulaifi, Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• H.E. Sheikh Meshal Bin Hamad Al-Thani, Accredited Ambassador to the State of Qatar to the United States of America – in Washington
• H.E. Mr. Saad bin Nasser Al Kaabi, Director of Studies and Research at the Amiri Diwan
• H.E. Mr. Mohammed bin Saif Al-Suwaidi, CEO of Qatar Investment Authority
• H.E. Mr. Jassim bin Mohammed Al Asmakh, Acting Director of the Department of American Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Mr. Hamad bin Mohammed Al Khulaifi, Head of the Foreign Relations Department at the Office of His Excellency the Chief of the Amiri Diwan
• Sheikh Hamah bin Nasser Al-Thani, Office of H.E. the Chief of the Amiri Diwan

Signing Ceremony Participants:

• His Highness Sheikh Tamin bin Hamad Al Thani - Amir of the State of Qatar

U.S. Delegation:

• Ambassador Timmy Davis, Ambassador to Qatar
• Secretary Marco Rubio, Department of State
• Secretary Scott Bessent, Department of Treasury
• Secretary Pete Hegseth, Department of Defense
• Secretary Howard Lutnick, Department of Commerce
• Secretary Chris Wright, Department of Energy
• Susie Wiles, Chief of Staff
• Steve Witkoff, Special Envoy to the Middle East
• James Blair, Deputy Chief of Staff for Legislative, Political, and Public Affairs
• Stephen Miller, Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Homeland Security Advisor
• David Sacks, White House AI and Crypto Czar
• Karoline Leavitt, Press Secretary
• Note Taker: Eric Trager, Senior Director for Middle East & North Africa

Qatar Delegation:

• H.E. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs
• H.E. Sheikh Saud bin Abdul Rahman Al-Thani, Deputy Prime Minster and Minster of State for Defense Affairs
• H.E. Mr. Abdullah bin Mohammed Al-Khulaifi, Chief of Amiri Diwan
• H.E. Mr. Ali bin Ahmed Al-Kuwari, Minister of Finance
• H.E. Saad bin Sherida Al-Kaabi, Minster of State for Energy Affairs
• H.E. Sheikh Faisal Bin Thani Al-Thani, Minister of Commerce and Industry
• H.E. Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al Khulaifi, Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• H.E. Sheikh Meshal Bin Hamad Al-Thani, Accredited Ambassador to the State of Qatar to the United States of America – in Washington
• H.E. Mr. Saad bin Nasser Al Kaabi, Director of Studies and Research at the Amiri Diwan
• H.E. Mr. Mohammed bin Saif Al-Suwaidi, CEO of Qatar Investment Authority
• H.E. Mr. Jassim bin Mohammed Al Asmakh, Acting Director of the Department of American Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Mr. Hamad bin Mohammed Al Khulaifi, Head of the Foreign Relations Department at the Office of His Excellency the Chief of the Amiri Diwan
• Sheikh Hamah bin Nasser Al-Thani, Office of H.E. the Chief of the Amiri Diwan

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Matt Viser

The Washington Post

White House Bureau Chief

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