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Travel pool note #11 - POTUS departure ceremony

From
Danny KEMP
Sent
Friday, May 15, 2026 2:31 PM CST

Dozens of young people in light blue shirts and white shirts waving Chinese flags lined the red carpet as POTUS walked from the Beast to AF1. They were chanting something your pooler couldn’t make out.

POTUS then climbed up the steps and gave two fist pumps before going inside the plane. No tarmac gaggle.

US staff took all badges and pins issued by China from reporters. They then put them (and staff burner phones) in a bin, per co pooler Emily Goodin.

Plane is rolling

Danny Kemp

AFP White House Correspondent

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