In town pool report #4 - POTUS enters and speaks

POTUS entered the East Room at 11:46am . The Medal of Honor ceremony is being livestreamed by the White House .

Dozens of guests are in attendance : the pool spotted General Dan Caine , chairman of the Joint chiefs of Staff , Pete Hegseth, defense secretary , VA secretary Doug Collins and Army secretary Dan Driscoll . Susie Wiles, White House chief of staff is also in the room . Wiles and Caine spoke to each other before the event began .

The Medal of Honor flag - with 13 white stars representing the original colonies set against a blue background - is displayed to the left looking at the podium . Light music - including the tune of “somewhere over the rainbow “ was playing throughout the room before the ceremony .

H/T to fellow print pooler Reagan Reese of the Daily Caller for helping spot the attendees.

James Politi

Financial Times

Washington bureau chief

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Twitter: @jamespoliti