Pool Report 3/Cabinet meeting

The pool entered the Cabinet Room at 11:49.

President Trump asked Kristi Noem to speak first about DHS's work on Texas flooding. She spoke about victim families visiting the camp disaster site and about how she had toured a cabin where young girls had died.

"Congratulations on a great job," Trump said, confirming plans for a Friday trip to the area

Trump then spoke about the economy and asked Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to discuss tariffs. He said that the US is on track to earn "well over $300 billion" in tariff revenue this year.

Hegseth then discussed the airstrikes on Iran's nuclear sites, saying it "reestablished deterence." Trump added that "our enemies were watching" before attacking a CNN report on a preliminary damage assessment.

Trump then took questions after saying he was not happy with Vladimir Putin.

He spoke about Sen. Graham's Russia sanctions bill and expressed approval of it being at his discretion.

Trump said that Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell should consider resigning for allegedly lying to Congress, and he repeated his call for him to lower interest rates.

Trump expressed disapproval about a question being asked to AG Bondi about Jeffrey Epstein, asking aloud if people still cared about the case.

Bondi said her prior remarks about a client list were misunderstood. She also said she was unaware of whether Epstein was an intelligence agency asset and that a missing minute of footage on the night of his suicide is being sought, attributing the issue to a daily loop on the tape.

He said that the tariff talk deadline hasn't changed and the date for payments was always Aug 1.

On EU tariffs, he said that he expects to send them "a letter" in about two days.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum touted the impact of lower oil costs on consumer costs.

Trump said EPA administrator Lee Zeldin may be the most important man in the room for speeding up business permitting, saying the US needs to double its electric generation for AI.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright said of green energy credits that "we were subsidizing something and paying more for it." Trump expressed greater approval of solar power than wind in subsequent remarks.

Trump slammed "Palestinian" Sen. Schumer for blaming the Texas flooding deaths on his administration. "I hear AOC is going to beat him," Trump said.

Agriculture Secretary Rollins praised states for showing "leadership" on restricting Chinese ownership of farmland near military bases and called on Congress to pass a law to do it nationally. She said there was an EO coming on the subject.

Trump repeated remarks about sending defensive weapons to Ukraine, but declined to say who ordered the initial pause.

Labor Secretary Lori DeRemer-Chavez said the immigration enforcement reprieve for farm workers would not be an amnesty program.

Trump said he expects pharmaceutical tariffs to come soon with a one year grace period to reshore.

Copper tariffs of 50% are coming today, he said.

He confirmed that he was meeting with Netanyahu again at the White House tonight to talk "almost exclusively about Gaza." Steve Witkoff said he believes there will be a ceasefire this week. There were four issues and now talks are down to one, he said.

Trump said he thinks a possible Elon Musk third party could help Republicans.

HHS Secretary RFK Jr does not appear to be present.

Meeting is ongoing as if 1:02....

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Steven Nelson

New York Post

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