>>/175005/, >>/175006/, >>/175007/, >>/175008/, >>/175009/, >>/175010/, >>/175011/, >>/175012/, >>/175013/, >>/175014/, >>/175015/, >>/175016/, >>/175017/, >>/175018/, >>/175019/, >>/175020/, >>/175021/, >>/175022/, >>/175023/, >>/175024/, >>/175025/, >>/175026/, >>/175027/, >>/175028/, >>/175029/, >>/175030/, >>/175031/, >>/175032/, >>/175033/, >>/175034/, >>/175035/, >>/175036/, >>/175037/, >>/175038/, >>/175039/, >>/175040/, >>/175041/, >>/175042/, >>/175043/, >>/175044/, >>/175045/, >>/175046/, >>/175047/, >>/175048/, >>/175049/, >>/175050/, >>/175051/, >>/175052/, >>/175053/, >>/175054/, >>/175055/, >>/175056/, >>/175057/, >>/175058/, >>/175059/, >>/175060/, >>/175061/, >>/175062/, >>/175063/, >>/175064/, >>/175065/, >>/175066/, >>/175067/, >>/175068/, >>/175069/, >>/175070/
>>/175070/, >>/175071/, >>/175072/, >>/175073/
White House Press Pool Reports @WHPressPool - in-town pool report #4
Pool entered Oval Office at 4:22 p.m. POTUS is flanked by Secretary Doug Burgum and Secretary Howard Lutnick, among others, for announcement of federal strategic mineral reserve. He shouts out GM CEO Mary Barra in attendance.
Alexei Koseff
San Francisco Chronicle
Mon. Feb 2, 4:27 PM
https://x.com/WHPressPool/status/2018436672514330749
White House Press Pool Reports @WHPressPool - in-town pool report #5
During Oval Office event, POTUS made a short presentation about the importance of his new strategic mineral reserve for the American auto industry, but did not sign the order in front of the pool.
As attendees spoke, POTUS often leaned back in his chair to listen with his eyes closed. Sen. Bernie Moreno told POTUS that the auto industry would be over if he had not been elected.
“It definitely would be over. The country would be over,” POTUS said.
Following questions from the press, pool was ushered out shortly before 5 p.m. some excerpts:
POTUS expressed confidence that the partial government shutdown would end soon.
“I spoke with Speaker Johnson and I spoke with Leader Thune and I think we’re pretty close to a resolution.”
“I spoke with Senator Schumer multiple times and I don’t think they want to see a shutdown.”
POTUS said he supports DHS Secretary Kristi Noem deploying body cameras for officers in Minneapolis.
“It wasn’t my decision. I leave it to her. It tends to be good for law enforcement, because people can’t lie about what happened.”
POTUS dismissed a question about his family selling a $500 million stake in its cryptocurrency firm to a UAE royal.
“I’m a big crypto person. I’m the one who probably helped crypto more than anybody.”
“If we don’t do crypto then China’s going to do it.”
POTUS said the Kennedy Center renovations will cost about $200 million, but he doesn’t plan to tear down the entire building.
“It’s run down. It’s dilapidated. It’s in bad shape.”
“We’re going to have all brand-new heating, air conditioning,” which he expects to be done by Carrier.
POTUS said he wants the investigation of Fed Chairman Jerome Powell to continue and dismisses Sen. Thom Tillis’ threat to hold up confirmation of Kevin Warsh.
“She’s got to take it to the end and see,” he said of Jeanine Pirro’s investigation.
“It’s either gross incompetence or theft of some kind.”
POTUS was asked about what sort of deal he is seeking with Cuba.
“It’s a failed nation.”
“I’d like to take care of the people that are here from Cuba.”
“They went through shark-infested waters. I don’t know how they did it.”
POTUS was asked about his threat to sue Grammys host Trevor Noah over a joke about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.
“I thought the whole Grammys was terrible.”
“I thought he was a lousy host. Not as lousy as Jimmy Kimmel, but pretty close.”
“It’s a terrible thing. The amount of time that’s being wasted” on the Epstein files, he said. He expects Democrats to drop it soon because some of their leaders have appeared in the files.
Alexei Koseff
San Francisco Chronicle
Mon. Feb. 2, 5:08 PM
https://x.com/WHPressPool/status/2018447850028360096
White House Press Pool Reports @WHPressPool - in-town pool report #6
Travel photo lid called at 6:06 p.m. Have a good one!
Alexei Koseff
Monday, February 2, 2026, 6:09 PM https://x.com/WHPressPool/status/2018462392246489230
70