In-town pool report #7 - Russia+’very severe consequences’
- From
- John Bennett
- Sent
- Wednesday, August 13, 2025, 12:23 PM
Quotes are not in chronological order, prioritizing news. Please check against transcript and video. POTUS is still taking questions:
Asked if Russia would face consequences if there is no ceasefire deal after his Putin summit: “There will. … I don't have to say. There will be very severe consequences.”
POTUS said his Friday summit with Russian President Putin could produce “great things,”
and said he would like to have a second trilateral meeting “almost immediately.”
“Quick second meeting with President Putin and President Zelensky.”
POTUS told your pooler that he would meet with House Democratic Leader Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Schumer about the coming government funding deadline. But he also said doing so would be “almost a waste of time to meet because they never approve anything.”
On DC legislation, Trump cast the coming legislative request as a “crime bill,” and predicted Republicans would unanimously vote in favor of it but no Democratic member would.
On Kennedy Center Honors and Academy Awards: Trump called the latter too “woke,” and said of its annual TV ratings: “I think they’ve gone down to numbers that are like a regular show.”
More TK. Event is streaming live.
**
John T. Bennett
White House Correspondent & Editor-at-Large
Roll Call & CQ | FiscalNote publications