Out-of-town pool report #6 - business leaders’

Pool was led into the reception tent at 1:08 pm. Pool recognized Jensen Huang of Nvidia, sitting in the left front row.

The setup is a large white tent with a draping roof, held up by wooden pole, and flags in shades of red, white and blue strung from pole to pole. Gussets are seated in fabric-covered white chairs, and a table draped in dark blue cloth, with two microphones and two seats, is positioned in front of a sign saying “tech prosperity deal.”

At 1:13 pm, Starmer and POTUS entered to a standing ovation. Both sat, with binders opened in front if them.

“You are among friends,” Starmer said, before referrinf to the strong relationship between the UK and the US.

“The deals and announcements you’re announcing today break all records,” Starmer said, saying it involves $250 billion pounds across the Atlantic and is expected to create 15,000 jobs.

Trump smiled most times Starmer complimented him or the US; his eyes sometimes traveled to various attendees in rhetoric crowd or the press at the back of the room behind a rope line.

“We punch above our weight,” Starmer said of the UK economy.

“It’s a win for both sides,” Starmer said of the trade deal the UK and US reached in May.

Starmer said they’ve struck a new deal on civil nuclear power.

“This is a very distinguished group,” Trump said, saying that before politics he would have to “deal with all of you” as he led his real-estate business.

Reading from remarks in his binder, the president highlighted again that he was honored with a second state dinner here. “It’s always nice to have a fist,” he said.

He described the bond with the UK as “unbeatable,” “regardless of what we’re doing here today.” As he spoke, the wind kicked up outside and sent some of the flags hanging outside audibly flapping against the tent.

POTUS called this the “next logical step” in deals between the country. He said AI is “taking over the world,” chuckling and looking at Huang.

Trump said there is $136 billion in investments from Blackstone, then looked at Steve Schwartzman, seated in the first seat in the first row of the right side of the space.

“One year ago our country was in serious trouble,” Trump said, adding that the king of Saudi Arabia said that to him a that now it’s the “hottest” country. POTUS then said there’s a “totally closed border” in the US now and that “bad” people haven’t gotten in. He looked down at his binder throughout but seemed to be speaking off the cuff at points.

He praised the US advances in cutting regulations and said it will now be “sane regulation.”

The president then ticked off a list of industries that are “coming back” before going back on script and thanking Starmer, saying it’s a “real honor to be with you.”

Monica Crowley and a UK official brought over a signing document; POTUS asked Bessent, jokingly, “should I sign it, Scott?” He then joked he would blame Bessent if it didn’t work out.

Also in the tent: Rubio, Scott Bessent, Howard Lutnick, Stephen Miller, Karoline Leavitt, Walt Nauta.

Pool was led out at 1:33 pm as a question was being told of an investment by Google in AI.

Pool has asked White House staff for a full list of attendees at this event, will update if we get one.

Otter here, please check audio against transcript. Next up is the press conference, which will stream on YouTube.

https://otter.ai/u/62pHVWVbNrYmaXirongQQkBDemI

Maggie Haberman

New York Times

@maggienyt

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