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White House tours are back!

Vanessa Romo

White House tours are once again open to the public, offering people a glimpse into the East Wing of the first family's temporary home, including the Blue Room, Red Room and Green Room; the State Dining Room; the China Room; and a view of the White House Rose Garden. Ron Edmonds/AP hide caption

White House tours are once again open to the public, offering people a glimpse into the East Wing of the first family's temporary home, including the Blue Room, Red Room and Green Room; the State Dining Room; the China Room; and a view of the White House Rose Garden.

There's great news for curious lookie-loos: Public tours of the White House have resumed.

Officials announced that the free tours will initially be available from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, excluding federal holidays. Rules for visiting the presidential work-live manse remain the same. According to the White House:

Public tour requests are scheduled on a first come, first served basis and must be submitted through a Member of Congress and their Congressional Tour Coordinator. Constituents may reach your Member of Congress and Congressional Tour Coordinator through the U.S. House of Representative's Switchboard at 202-225-3121, the U.S. Senate Switchboard at 202-224-3121, or online at www.congress.gov/members .

Would-be visitors will also have to get the timing just right. Requests must be submitted 21 days to three months in advance of the desired visit.

The People's House has been periodically closed to the public through part of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, those who are lucky enough to book a slot can get an IRL look into several rooms in the East Wing of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, including the Blue Room, Red Room and Green Room; the State Dining Room; the China Room; and a view of the White House Rose Garden.

The Secret Service can also be a part of the experience. In addition to keeping an eye on the valuables, it's available to answer questions about the history and architecture of each room.

Here's a bit of what visitors can expect to see:

President Barack Obama looks at a portrait of President John Adams while waiting in the White House's Blue Room prior to a news conference in the East Room on Feb. 9, 2009. The White House/Getty Images hide caption

President Barack Obama looks at a portrait of President John Adams while waiting in the White House's Blue Room prior to a news conference in the East Room on Feb. 9, 2009.

The Blue Room wasn't a thing until 1837, when President Martin Van Buren — the eighth president of the U.S. — introduced the color blue into the decorating scheme.

Before that, there had been a bit of a kerfuffle over how the large oval room, which later became the inspiration for the design of the Oval Office, should be decorated.

Apparently, President James Monroe wanted to deck out the room in a French Empire style and placed an order for a suite of French mahogany furniture through the American firm Russell and La Farge, with offices in Le Havre, France, according to White House records.

"However, the firm shipped gilded furniture instead, asserting that 'mahogany is not generally admitted into the furniture of a Salon, even at private gentlemen's houses.' "

Refreshed wall fabric brightens the Red Room in September 2019. Patrick Semansky/AP hide caption

Refreshed wall fabric brightens the Red Room in September 2019.

The Red Room was mostly yellow until 1845, when President James K. Polk and first lady Sarah Polk added red- and green-covered rocking chairs, ottomans, armchairs and lounges. That's when it went from being called the Washington Parlor to the Red Room.

In March 1877, it became the scene of President-elect Rutherford B. Hayes' historic swearing-in, which in some ways paralleled the Electoral College vote count of Jan. 6, 2021.

The White House Historical Association states on its website:

"Political tensions ran high after his bitterly contested election over Samuel J. Tilden, so Hayes secretly took the Oath of Office at the White House. Inauguration Day fell on a Sunday that year, and this swearing-in avoided a 24-hour delay in the transfer of power and any perceived danger of a coup."

Paintings of past presidents adorn the walls as a crystal chandelier hangs from the ceiling of the Green Room on Jan. 21, 1963. AP hide caption

Paintings of past presidents adorn the walls as a crystal chandelier hangs from the ceiling of the Green Room on Jan. 21, 1963.

John Quincy Adams, the United States' sixth president, came up with the idea of calling this room the Green Drawing Room sometime between 1825 and 1829, according to the White House.

"The inspiration for the name may have come from Thomas Jefferson's use of the space as a dining room, when he covered the floor with a green-colored canvas for protection."

During its most recent renovation, then-first lady Melania Trump added a portrait of former first lady Edith Roosevelt, wife of President Theodore Roosevelt.

State Dining Room

President Biden speaks about the January jobs reports during an event in the State Dining Room on Feb. 4. Win McNamee/Getty Images hide caption

President Biden speaks about the January jobs reports during an event in the State Dining Room on Feb. 4.

The State Dining Room has been through some wild makeovers, growing from an intimate space to a cavernous hall that can seat up to 140 guests.

While today's version, most recently revamped by then-first lady Michelle Obama, is calming and elegant, with ivory walls and a muted blue rug, earlier versions included intricate wall paintings and walls in "many shades and textures of yellow and highlighted in silver," according to the White House Historical Association.

President Theodore Roosevelt expanded the dining room and added some personal touches that were very on-brand for the outdoorsman: He hung "a large moose head above the fireplace and placed other game trophies on the natural oak panels," states the association's website.

The Truman china set is displayed on a table in the White House's China Room. This set, selected by first lady Bess Truman in 1951, is the first state china service to feature the presidential coat of arms as redesigned by President Harry Truman in 1945. Susan Walsh/AP hide caption

The Truman china set is displayed on a table in the White House's China Room. This set, selected by first lady Bess Truman in 1951, is the first state china service to feature the presidential coat of arms as redesigned by President Harry Truman in 1945.

This room is entirely dedicated to holding and displaying china used by dozens of U.S. presidents. It was first called the Presidential Collection Room, but in 1917, Edith Bolling Galt Wilson, President Woodrow Wilson's second wife, decided to display the growing collection of White House china throughout the room.

The Associated Press reported that first lady Mamie Eisenhower "was instrumental in locating the personal china of Presidents Johnson, Taft, Harding, Coolidge and Hoover to complete the collection."

White House Rose Garden

Tulips add an annual burst of color during spring in the White House Rose Garden. J. Scott Applewhite/Associated Press hide caption

Tulips add an annual burst of color during spring in the White House Rose Garden.

Yes, it's called the Rose Garden, but countless other blooms are to be found, depending on the season.

While the garden was established in 1913, it was President John F. Kennedy and first lady Jacqueline Kennedy who in 1961 decided to breathe new life into the space.

The White House Historical Association states that the couple was inspired after a state visit to France, England and Austria: "The President had noted that the White House had no garden equal in quality or attractiveness to the gardens that he had seen and in which he had been entertained in Europe. There he had recognized the importance of gardens surrounding an official residence and their appeal to the sensibilities of all people."

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Can I tour the White House? How do I get tickets? Find out how to make the most of your visit through the White House Visitor’s Center, an interactive museum that we’ve helped to renovate and maintain in partnership with the National Park Service. You might also enjoy our unique cultural and educational programs, many of which take place in the historic Decatur House just a block away from the White House itself.

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White House

White House public tour requests are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis and must be submitted through a Member of Congress and their Congressional Tour Coordinator. Consistent with prior practices, public White House tour requests must be submitted a minimum of 21 days in advance and no more than 90 days in advance of the requested tour date(s). Reservations cannot be accepted for tour dates outside this 21 – 90-day window.

Public tours are typically available from 8:00 AM to 12:30 PM Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, excluding Federal holidays or unless otherwise noted. If your tour is confirmed, please note that you will be assigned a specific time. All White House tours are free of charge. The White House tour schedule is subject to change, with little notice, based on inclement weather or official use.

If you are a citizen of a foreign country, please contact your embassy in Washington, D.C. for assistance in submitting a tour request.

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Joseph R. Biden

Press release - the white house announces public tours will resume a full operating schedule.

The Biden-Harris Administration is pleased to announce public tours of the White House will resume a full operating schedule from Tuesdays through Saturdays beginning on Tuesday, July 19, 2022. Public tours will be available from 8:00 AM to 12:30 PM on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, excluding Federal holidays or unless otherwise noted. All White House tours are free of charge. The White House tour schedule is subject to change based on inclement weather or official use

Public White House Tour Requests

Public tour requests are scheduled on a first come, first served basis and must be submitted through a Member of Congress and their Congressional Tour Coordinator. Constituents may reach your Member of Congress and Congressional Tour Coordinator through the U.S. House of Representative's Switchboard at 202-225-3121, the U.S. Senate Switchboard at 202-224-3121, or online at www.congress.gov/members .

Consistent with prior practices, public White House tour requests must be submitted a minimum of 21 days in advance and no more than 90 days in advance of the requested tour date(s). Reservations cannot be accepted for tour dates outside this 21 – 90-day window. Congressional Tour Coordinators will be able to submit tour requests for the full operating schedule on Monday, June 27, 2022.

The White House will continue to closely monitor the COVID-19 situation with guidance based on recommendations from the CDC, and other public health officials and medical experts, and reserves the right to adjust availability of the public tours as necessary to adhere to the latest health guidance. Within the 10 days prior to the public tour, anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19, has had any COVID-19 symptoms, or been in close contact with someone confirmed or suspected to have COVID-19, should stay home. Face masks will be available when entering the White House complex for those who choose to wear them.

Joseph R. Biden, Press Release - The White House Announces Public Tours Will Resume A Full Operating Schedule Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/356649

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How Can I Tour the White House in Washington, DC?

Everything you need to know about planning a visit to the country’s most famous house., requesting a white house tour.

Touring the White House requires some advance planning. Public tour requests must be made through your member of Congress ( find your member of Congress and contact information ) and submitted up to three months in advance and no less than 21 days prior to your visit. If you're an international visitor and wish to schedule a tour, please contact your home country’s embassy in Washington, DC.

You are encouraged to submit your tour request as early as possible as tours fill up quickly and a limited number of spaces are available. Tours are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. All White House tours are free. Please note tours are subject to last-minute cancellations based on the official White House schedule.

Public, self-guided tours are 45 minutes and are run between 8 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays unless otherwise noted. For complete details on White House tours, visit the White House tours and events page or call the White House Visitors Office 24-hour information line at (202) 456-7041. The White House is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW.

Touring the White House - Washington, DC

What to expect on a White House tour

If there is a tour slot available during your visit to DC, you will be given a specific date and time to arrive and be instructed on where to check in. All guests over 18 years old will be required to present a valid, government-issued photo ID upon check-in. Foreign nationals must present their passport. Please bring as little as possible (avoid backpacks, food, large handbags, bottled water, etc.). Note that smartphones and compact cameras with a lens no longer than 3 inches are permitted on the public tour route, but video recording devices and flash photography are not allowed inside the White House. Visitors will go through security prior to entering the White House. There are no restrooms available at the White House. The closest restroom is located at the Ellipse Visitor Pavilion nearby.

Public tours of the White House include the public rooms in the East Wing, which includes the Blue Room, Red Room and Green Room; the State Dining Room; the China Room; and a view of the White House Rose Garden. Secret Service members are stationed in each room and are available to answer questions about the history and architecture of each room.

You can also visit the White House Visitor Center   before or after your tour.

Stephen Melkisethian

How to get to the White House

The closest Metro stations to the White House are Federal Triangle (Blue and Orange lines), Metro Center (Blue, Orange and Red lines) and McPherson Square (Blue and Orange lines). Please note there is NO PARKING near the White House. Public transportation is strongly encouraged.

@abroadwife

How to tour the White House Garden

Another opportunity to visit the White House is to attend either its fall or spring garden tour. Check whitehouse.gov in early October and April. The announcement of the garden tours is usually made within a week or two of when they take place. Garden tours generally run for two consecutive days. They may be canceled due to poor weather. A ticket is required for all attendees (including small children). Usually, tickets are distributed by the National Park Service at the Ellipse Visitor Pavilion on 15th and E streets NW on each tour day beginning at 9 a.m. Review the announcement for specific details.

Will I still be able to see the White House without going on a tour?

While visitors are not allowed entry to the White House without requesting a tour through your congressional representative, you will still be able to see the White House from Pennsylvania Avenue NW at Lafayette Square and view the White House and the South Lawn from the Ellipse. Please note that a new fence is currently under construction at the White House, as the current 6-foot fence is being replaced by a stronger, wider fence that will be 13 feet.

Where can I store my belongings during the tour?

It is important to note that security at the White House is extremely high. If your hotel is nearby, we suggest leaving your belongings in your room during the tour. If this is not possible, there are a few other options. You can designate one member of your tour group to hold everyone’s belongings. That person can take the self-guided tour once his or her group has finished the tour.

If you're a ticketed Amtrak customer, you may be able to check luggage in advance at  Union Station . These are located near Gate A. Lockers are available from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. A photo ID is required and lockers must be paid for via cash or credit in advance. Rates are $3-$6 per hour per bag depending on the size of your bag. For questions on bag storage, please call 202-906-3000.

Catch up on White House history with the free podcas t The 1600 Sessions and enhance your trip with the  White House Experience app  from the White House Historical Association. The app offers three tour experiences, including a virtual tour of the White House (with rooms you normally don't see on the tour), a neighborhood walking tour and a room-by-room guide for visitors on an in-person tour of the White House.

Now that you have read up on the White House, explore DC’s other awesome  monuments and memorials .

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White House Public Tour Tickets

This post is an article on how to get White House tour tickets, plus tips for planning your visit, such as tips for dealing with security.

How to apply for tickets is a common question from visitors on our walking tours.

However, if you are asking one of our tour guides after arriving in Washington, DC, you are definitely too late.

So, we've created this post to help you secure tickets plus plan your visit, both before and after your tour.

The White House is open to public tours usually from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm Tuesday-Saturday, except for Federal Holidays.

Reservations must be arranged in advance.

It is hard to get a White House tour but the further in advance you request and the more flexibility you offer in dates, the better your chances.

These are to tour the main building, West Wing tours are a different experience and even harder to get tickets. I was lucky enough to get a West Wing tour if you want to see photos!

There is no cost to tour the White House, but you will need to apply for free tickets. Both U.S. nationals and foreign visitors can tour the White House.

To visit the White House, it's important to know that you must  reserve your tickets in advance ,   MONTHS in advance. 

You can submit a request for White House tours up to 3 months in advance and must do so no later than 3 weeks.

Don’t apply early or late or you risk having your request automatically denied.

You can increase your odds of getting a White House tour by requesting a reservation as soon as you possibly can.

For U.S. citizens and residents, requests must go through the office of the Member of Congress for your district ( find your Member here ).

If you are coming during the peak tourism seasons of March-April or June-August, we recommend closer to the 3-month mark.

The White House only accepts requests between 21-90 days before your requested dates.

If you are from a foreign country, you are advised to go through your embassy in Washington D.C. Not all embassies will be interested or helpful in the request.

However, nothing stops you from requesting a tour through any Member of Congress.

There is no real requirement that you be a resident of their district or state to do so. Therefore, it's worth a try.  

Most will ask you for contact information at home and during your stay in DC, dates available for tours, and the total number of persons in your group.

You'll also be required to provide information for security clearance, including:

• Date of Birth
• Social Security Number (only U.S. residents 18 and older)
• Citizenship
• City, State of Residence

How long before I hear back about my White House request?

Typically, once you have submitted your visitor info, you will receive an email two weeks before your requested dates informing you if you were selected for a tour.

If you do NOT get approved, the communication varies and depends. Some people have gotten rejection letters and some have just never heard back.

Assume if you haven't heard back a few days prior to your trip that you were not approved.

You can also visit the White House Visitor Center . It's actually a few blocks from the White House, but it's a great alternative to interior tours.

You can always see the White House from the street, as well.

There are a number of great views of the White House that we talk about - but the closest is from Pennsylvania Avenue NW by Lafayette Square.

But, if you are accepted, then read on for tips on planning your trip.

• Plan Your Visit
• Virtual Tour
• Visitor Center
• Things to Do in DC
• Free Tours by Foot

PLAN YOUR VISIT

In this section, we go over where to enter the White House grounds, how to get there, as well as security and prohibited items . 

WHITE HOUSE TOUR ENTRANCE

We strongly recommend using our Google Maps for directions to the tour entry point . 

There is no White House Metro Station.

The closest metro stop to the tour entrance is Metro Center ( red , orange , blue, and silver lines ) (take the 13 th Street exit), which is just a 7-minute walk.

When you come up the escalators, you will be facing 13th Street.

Take 13th Street southbound (downhill) and make a right turn on E Street and proceed straight until you reach 15th Street.  

McPherson Square Metro station ( orange , blue, and silver lines)  is also close to the White House.

Public transportation is recommended for reaching the White House.

If you must drive, you can find a parking spot at a nearby garage through a service called SpotHero .

This website allows you to reserve guaranteed parking spots ahead of time, often for a cheaper price than the garage itself would charge.

If you've been granted a tour, you need to arrive before your meeting time at the visitors' entrance.

Note: This is NOT at the Visitor Center.

Click here for a 360-degree view .

The tour lines up along 15th Street NW on the west side of the street by the William Tecumseh Sherman Statue.

It's across the street from where Pennsylvania Avenue NW dead-ends at 15th St NW.

You'll check in with the National Park Service Park Ranger standing guard outside the temporary fence.

There is no specific street address or sign - you just have to know you're in the right place, but since there is often a line it should be easy to spot.

You can click on the 360-degree view to familiarize yourself with the surrounding area. 

SECURITY AND PROHIBITED ITEMS

Security is a concern everywhere in Washington, but nowhere more than in the White House.

You will need a valid government-issued photo ID or passport to gain entry into the White House for every member of your group. Foreign nationals must use their passport.

You will have to stand in line for security, so make sure to arrive at least half an hour before your tour time. (longer in peak seasons, or with a group).  

WHITE HOUSE DRESS CODE

There is no dress code to tour the White House, but due to the importance of the building, you should want to dress neatly.

The list of what you can’t bring into the White House is extensive:

• no video devices; video cameras including any action camcorders, cameras with detachable lenses, tablets, tripods, monopods, and camera sticks are not permitted. Video recording is not permitted.
• no strollers.
• no food, beverages, tobacco products, liquids, gels, or lotions.
• no guns, firearms, knives, other sharp objects, martial arts equipment, etc.
• no purses, backpacks, handbags, etc.   * If you need a place to store these kinds of items, some nearby hotel concierges may be willing to store the bags for a small fee.

The list of things you can bring to the White House is not extensive:

• umbrellas 

Cameras are now permitted on tour!

Smartphones and compact cameras with a lens no longer than 3 inches (stills only) are permitted on the public tour route as long as their use does not interfere with other guests’ enjoyment of the tour. 

Flash photography or live streaming as well as talking or texting on cellular phones is not permitted while on the tour.

Where can I leave the rest of my belongings while I tour the White House?

If you can't leave your belongings at your hotel, then consider storage facilities.

For $6/bag for up to 24 hours, you can store your bags in nearby stores, souvenir shops, and even other hotels.

Once you are inside, the tour is self-guided and will take about half an hour.

NOTE: There are no restrooms on the White House tour.

Though the White House has 132 rooms in total, you are only shown through several rooms that they use for entertaining. 

You will NOT see the family living quarters, the Oval Office, or the West Wing ( read about my experience of the West Wing tour! ) So, don't expect to meet President Joe Biden on your White House Tour.

Small tip: there are secret service agents in every room, you can interact with them and ask them questions, they are usually really nice and very informative.

After you line up along 15th Street, you'll have your reservation checked and then line up again for an ID check.

You'll cross a street and then have your ID checked again.

All of these checks are outdoors so keep that in mind when preparing for your visit - you're outside for around 30 minutes before your tour.

You then go through security to enter the East Wing of the White House.

What Will I See on a Public Tour of the White House?

The tour is self-guided though there are occasionally guards who can answer some questions.

Each room has a placard or two explaining what you're seeing with some information.

The tour is self-paced and you can go back if needed to previous rooms, but you will not be able to exit the building and reenter.

You will see the East Garden from the hallway, the movie theatre, the China Room, the Vermeil Room, the East Room, the Green Room, the Blue Room, the Red Room, and the State Dining Room.

Throughout you'll also see a number of presidential portraits.

There is a gift shop inside the White House that sells the famous White House Christmas ornament and many other items from the White House Historical Association.

You'll exit the White House from what used to be the primary entrance facing the North Lawn and exit out the gates by the Lafayette Statue.

Will I See the President on a White House Tour?

You are unlikely to meet the President or First Lady on the White House tour, but you never know who you might see at the White House complex, including cabinet members or prominent visitors.

VIRTUAL TOURS OF THE WHITE HOUSE

These videos offer virtual tours inside various parts of the White House that you do not get to see on White House public tours.

Inside the Residence

Tour of the West Wing

Video Tour of the Situation Room

Learn About the West Wing Marines

Watch Marine One Land on South Lawn

You will see many helicopters during your visit to Washington, D.C. and they usually won't be transporting the President.

Most of the helicopters fly along the National Mall - over the Tidal Basin and Potomac River.

When you see three helicopters fly across the National Mall, right past the Washington Monument (that is why there are the red flashing lights on the top), one of those is Marine One.

So how do you watch Marine One take off/land?

For advance planning, you can keep an eye on the President's Schedule. It will give an approximate time when the president departs the South Lawn.

Keep in mind, it sometimes is early or late and they don't give any warning!

Marine One is often used to transport the President to Joint Base Andrews to board Air Force One.

If you're already in the area, you might notice some of the ways they prepare for Marine One:

• Snipers are always on the roof of the White House, but when the President is leaving the White House, you'll also see them on the corners of area buildings.
• Two decoy/escort helicopters will accompany Marine One but not land. You will always see a group of three helicopters.
• The walkway to the South Lawn fence is closed. While you're normally can walk right up to the South Lawn fence, they won't let you get that close when Marine One is landing.

Where to stand to watch Marine One land?

The best place to watch Marine One land if you want to be as close as possible is on the south side of the White House, an area called The Ellipse.

Normally, the circular sidewalk that forms the ellipse is open to the public but when the President is leaving - the side closest to the White House is closed.

You can, however, walk directly on the grass to the center of the Ellipse.

If you line yourself up with the Washington Monument behind you and the White House South Lawn Fountain in front of you, the helicopter will fly right over your head!

If you want to watch Marine One with some DC landmarks in the frame, stand at the WWII Memorial, facing the Washington Monument.

The three helicopters will fly in front of the Washington Monument lining up for a great photo op.

What kind of helicopter is Marine One?

Officially, any helicopter that the President is on is Marine One.

That is the call sign for any USMC aircraft that has the President on board, just like Air Force one denotes whatever plane is carrying the President.

It is usually operated by Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1 "Nighthawks"), only four pilots have this honor every year.

The type of helicopter is often a VH-3D Sea King:

or the VH-60N "WhiteHawk"

Marine One helicopters have standard military anti-missile countermeasures, and ballistic armor and can continue to fly even if it loses one of the three engines.

It can fit 14 passengers but is quiet enough that the President can use a normal tone of voice on his secure line to the White House.

NOTE: A few times a year when the President is out of the country, you will see a helicopter take off and land on the South Lawn on repeat for about half an hour - this is training!

The President isn't actually on the helicopter - but your Instagram followers won't know that!

THE WHITE HOUSE VISITOR CENTER:

After an extensive revamping, the White House Visitor Center is now open again to the public.  

Read our overview of the museum and visitor center for more information.

The restoration work took over 2 years and cost $12.5 million, much of which came from private donations through the White House Historical Association.

There are over 90 new artifacts on display, many of which have never before been on display.

Some of our favorites are the desk that Franklin Delano Roosevelt sat at when he delivered his famous fireside chats and a scaled model of the White House.

Within the White House Visitor Center, you can watch a 14-minute film that takes you inside the White House and the lives of the First Families. 

Allow anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour for your visit here.

VISITOR TIP : The White House Visitor Center has a great gift shop. There is also a gift shop at 701 15th St NW called White House Gifts. Here can take a photo of yourself sitting behind a replica of the Presidential desk in the Oval Office!

Related Content:

• How to Get Tickets to the Washington Monument
• How to Tour the U.S. Capitol Building
• Can I tour the FBI Building?
• Watch Marine One Land on the White House Lawn
• White House Garden Tours
• White House Christmas Tours
• Easter Egg Roll

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Washington DC Tours and Tickets

If you are a resident of the 48th Congressional District of California and are planning a trip to Washington, D.C., Congressman Issa's office is here to assist.

U.S. Capitol Building

Free, public tours are offered between 8:30am - 3:20pm ET, Monday through Saturdays. Holidays and special events excluded.

Reservations are recommended.  Constituents of the 48th Congressional District may request a reservation using the form below.  Reservations are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and can be extremely limited during peak visitor times.

Groups should arrive at least 30 minutes prior to their reservation time.  Please be aware that the tour will take approximately 90 minutes and will require about .5 miles or more of walking and stairs.  Handicap accessibility is also available. 

You may view a Map of Capitol Hill, here .  

To take a virtual tour, please visit:   visitthecapitol.gov

The White House

Public tour tickets are available via reservation only.  Tours are offered from 8:00am-12:30pm ET on limited days, excluding holidays and special events as determined by the White House. 

Constituents of the 48th Congressional District may request a tour using the form below.  The tour schedule and tickets offered are extremely limited and at the sole discretion of the White House. Please request at least 60-90 days before your travel dates.

The White House is a self-guided tour and guests should allocate approximately 90 minutes. 

Library of Congress

The Library of Congress, Jefferson Building is located on Capitol Hill on First Street and Independence Avenue, SE.

Public tour tickets are available via reservation.  Entry tour passes are available 10:00am - 4:30pm ET Tuesday through Saturday, except holidays.  The Library is closed for public visits on Sundays and Mondays.  Reservations are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and can be extremely limited during peak visitor times.

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2024 White House Easter Egg Roll: Watch activities from White House's South Lawn

Thousands are expected to attend the annual White House Easter Egg Roll on Monday, hosted by President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden.

USA TODAY is providing live coverage of the White House Easter Egg Roll led by the First Lady. You can watch the embedded live video at the top of the page or on USA TODAY's YouTube channel . It was set to start at 7 a.m. ET but rain and storms in the area have delayed the event.

The 2024 Easter “EGGucation” Roll will be split into nine sessions. Around 40,000 people will take part this year, according to the White House , including thousands of military and veteran families, caregivers and survivors. Tickets to the general public were distributed to people from around the country in a public online lottery.

According to the White House, the South Lawn and Ellipse will be transformed "into a school community, full of fun educational activities for children of all ages to enjoy."

The White House has hosted an Easter egg roll in a tradition dating back to 1878, when President Rutherford B. Hayes was in office.

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U.S. House speaker negotiating with White House to advance Ukraine aid

Mike Johnson is set to travel to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club to meet with him and has been consulting him in recent weeks on the Ukraine funding to gain his support – or at least prevent him from openly opposing the package.

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WASHINGTON — House Speaker Mike Johnson is negotiating with the White House as he prepares for the treacherous task of advancing wartime funding for Ukraine and Israel through the House, a top House Republican said Thursday.

Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., speaks as House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., listens during a news conference on Capitol Hill on Wednesday in Washington. Mariam Zuhaib/Associated Press

House Republican Leader Steve Scalise told reporters that Johnson had been talking with White House officials about a package that would deviate from the Senate’s $95 billion foreign security package and include several Republican demands. It comes after Johnson has delayed for months on advancing aid that would provide desperately needed ammunition and weaponry for Kyiv, trying to find the right time to advance a package that will be a painful political lift.

“There’s been no agreement reached,” Scalise said. “Obviously there would have to be an agreement reached not just with the White House, but with our own members.”

Johnson, R-La., is being stretched between a Republican conference deeply divided in its support for Ukraine, as well as two presidential contenders at odds over the U.S.’s posture towards the rest of the world. President Biden has repeatedly chastised Republicans for not helping Ukraine, saying they are doing the bidding of Russian President Vladimir Putin and hurting U.S. security. Meanwhile, Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican candidate, has said he would negotiate an end to the conflict as he tries to push the U.S. to a more isolationist stance.

The Republican speaker is set to travel to the former president’s Mar-a-Lago club in Florida on Friday to meet with Trump and has been consulting him in recent weeks on the Ukraine funding to gain his support – or at least prevent him from openly opposing the package.

Sen. Markwayne Mullin, an Oklahoma Republican who often works closely with House lawmakers, said this week he and Trump have spoken with Johnson “in-depth” about how to advance Ukraine aid. It is not clear whether Trump would lend any political support, but Mullin said he was hoping to get the former president behind the package, especially now that Johnson’s job is at stake. Advertisement

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, has threatened to try to oust Johnson as speaker and warned that advancing funding for Ukraine would help build her case that GOP lawmakers should select a new speaker.

Meanwhile, Johnson has been in conversations with the White House about legislation that would structure some of the funding for Kyiv as loans, pave the way for the U.S. to tap frozen Russian central bank assets and include other policy changes.

Johnson has also been pushing for the Biden administration to lift a pause on approvals for Liquefied Natural Gas exports. At times, he has also demanded policy changes at the U.S. border with Mexico.

“This becomes a more dangerous world with Russia in Kyiv,” said Rep. Don Bacon, a Republican who supports aiding Ukraine. “So we’ve just got to find a smart way to get a bill passed that we can get out and back to the Senate.”

Still, Johnson is facing a practically open rebellion from a group of hardline House conservatives who are dissatisfied with the way he has led the House. With a narrow and divided majority, Johnson has been forced to work with Democrats to advance practically any major legislation.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Thursday that the “only path forward” for the House was a vote on the Senate’s national security package. He also suggested that Democrats would help Johnson hold onto the speaker’s gavel if he did so. Advertisement

While Democrats have pressured Johnson to put the Senate package to a vote, they also may be divided on a vote as a growing number oppose sending Israel offensive weaponry while it engages in a campaign in Gaza that has killed thousands of civilians.

The Biden administration, which would administer any military funding, has issued stern warnings to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that future U.S. support depends on the swift implementation of new steps to protect civilians and aid workers.

“If we want to prevent handing Putin a victory in Europe, the House should do the right thing for democracy and pass the Senate’s aid package now,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Thursday in a floor speech.

Associated Press writer Lisa Mascaro contributed.

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Biden signs $1.2 trillion funding package after Senate’s early-morning passage

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Steak, cherry blossoms and Paul Simon will be featured at the White House state dinner for Japan

Rib eye steak, cherry blossoms and Paul Simon will be features of a White House state dinner for Japan

WASHINGTON -- Dry-aged rib eye steak, cherry blossoms and the music of Paul Simon are on tap for more than 200 guests who are expected to attend a swanky White House state dinner on Wednesday to celebrate the relationship between the United States and Japan.

A lavish state dinner is a tool of U.S. diplomacy, a high honor that is doled out sparingly and only to America's closest allies. In the case of Japan, President Joe Biden has chosen to celebrate an ally that he sees as a cornerstone of his policy toward the Indo-Pacific region.

Biden and his wife, Jill, are hosting Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his wife, Yuko, during the couple's official visit to the United States this week. The first lady on Tuesday described a “flourishing” relationship between the U.S. and its Pacific partner as she hosted a media preview of the dinner, including the menu, decor and entertainment.

“As technology dissolves the distances between us and we face challenges that cross borders and oceans, our nations are partners in building a world where we choose creation over destruction, peace over bloodshed and democracy over autocracy,” she said.

Kishida will be the fifth world leader Biden has honored with a state dinner after counterparts from France, South Korea, India and Australia.

More than 200 guests with ties to both nations will dine on a first course of house-cured salmon and an entree of dry-aged rib eye steak with pepper butter, fava beans, mushrooms and onions. Dessert is salted caramel pistachio cake with a matcha ganache and cherry ice cream.

Some of Jill Biden's favorite flowers, including roses and peonies, are being used alongside imported cherry blossoms to decorate a mix of round and rectangular tables in shades of pink, with a few of the floral centerpieces topping out at 6 feet (1.8 meters) tall.

Tables will be set with a mix of place settings representing the administrations of Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson and George W. Bush. Glass and silk butterflies will dance over the tables and the hallway on the State Floor will be outfitted to give guests the feel of walking atop a koi pond.

After dinner, Simon, who the White House said is one of the first lady's favorite musicians, will perform a selection of his iconic songs. She chose the singer-songwriter as a special tribute for Kishida because the prime minister is also an admirer of Simon's work, the White House said.

Simon's career spans six decades, including performing as part of a duo with his childhood friend Art Garfunkel. The 82-year-old New Jersey native has earned numerous accolades, including multiple Grammys and a place in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Also lined up to entertain guests after dinner are “The President's Own” Marine Band Chamber Orchestra, the Army Rolling Strings and the Air Force Strings.

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The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC 20500

Background Press Call Previewing the Official Visit of Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of   Japan

National Security Council

Via Teleconference

(April 9, 2024)

5:40 P.M. EDT

MODERATOR: Thank you. And hi, everyone. Thank you again for joining today’s background call to preview the official visit of Prime Minister Kishida of Japan.

Today’s call is on background. Speakers on today’s call will be attributed as senior administration officials.

On today’s call we have [senior administration official], [senior administration official], and [senior administration official]. Again, today’s call is on background, attributed to senior administration officials. And the call will be held under embargo until tomorrow at 5:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time.

By participating in today’s call, you are agreeing to these ground rules.

I will now turn the call over to [senior administration official].

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Thank you. And thank you all very much for joining us today. It’s really a pleasure and honor to be with you all.

Let me, if I can, first place this visit in a larger context. I think it is undeniable that at the conclusion of this visit we will judge it to be a remarkable and historic summit. And it’s long in the making. We’ve been working on this kind of summit and state visit, frankly, for years. Our two leaders have met over a dozen times in a number of capacities. Prime Minister Kishida graciously hosted President Biden for an official visit as part of the G7 engagements in Hiroshima. And they’ve met on a number of occasions, engaging on the most critical issues before us.

I will say that what we’ve seen specifically is what was largely a regional alliance, and important alliance undeniably, but now a global partnership that I think could be judged as if not our most important global alliance, then among the most important. And I think that reality will be on full display over the course of the next few days.

I do want to just take a moment, if I may, just to commend. These summits are enormously challenging endeavors. Lots of spinning plates and engagements with huge stakes at every turn. And I just want to commend the two people that I’m on the call with today. [Senior administration official] has been the spearhead of this effort, driving forward on what we call deliverables. And I would just underscore that that list is over 70; it’s not uncommon to occasionally have a dozen, maybe 20, at the outside. This is probably the largest set of substantial, significant deliverables that we’ve seen of its kind. And [senior administration official] and her team have helped drive that forward.

I will also say my friend and colleague [senior administration official] has basically set a new standard for what it means to be an activist, determined, a passionate advocate for a relationship between two countries. And what he’s done in the U.S.-Japan context is no short of remarkable.

Now, I will say Prime Minister Kishida arrived with his team, members of governments from the Diet and the business community, yesterday. It’s an appropriate time of year as we celebrate the Cherry Blossom Festival starting this weekend.

We will have a number of engagements. [Senior administration officials] will run through them. But I think what you will see is a huge number of deliverables in the security arena, but I do want to underscore that the progress and future-oriented stance of our alliance that is on display in Haiti, in the Ukraine, in Southeast Asia, in the Pacific — everywhere that American purpose is being put to the test, Japan is by our side. You will see that clearly animated in our deliverables.

We are working to build stronger bonds in technology, in joint investment running each way, programming that advances our joint interests in the Pacific and Southeast Asia, and clear initiatives with respect to people-to-people.

I think, in many respects, this relationship and what you will see is the fundamental validation of President Biden’s Indo-Pacific strategy, which seeks to elevate the role of partners and allies in concert with us as we seek to keep an open, secure, and vital Indo-Pacific.

I do just want to underscore just a couple of things as we go forward. The initiatives are both sophisticated and down to earth.

I do want to just mention one particular thing. I think the two most important gifts that countries have given the United States over the course of our existence: one would be the Statue of Liberty, and the second might be the gift, 110 years ago from Japan, of the cherry trees around the Tidal Basin.

This is a tribute to both [senior administration official] and others on the Japanese side. I think they noted a few weeks ago that, sadly, several hundred of those trees would have to be felled in order to do some work around the Tidal Basin. The Japanese immediately understood the significance of that; offered us to help provide saplings when the time is right to replace these felled trees, to signal their continuing friendship and partnership.

I think we’ll find that it’s initiatives like this that may not be as significant as apparently as new arrangements on military command structures or joint co-production on the military side, but they’re deeply significant to our peoples. And we are grateful. Prime Minister Kishida will have a planting ceremony tomorrow on the Mall to basically underscore his commitment to this.

I’d like to turn it over now to [senior administration official] to basically give us a blow by blow about how we arrived here, what he thinks are the big moving pieces that are significant, both in the Indo-Pacific and globally, as we take the U.S.-Japan relationship to the next level. Thank you.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Thanks, [senior administration official]. I want to emphasize and underscore something [senior administration official] said, because in the last 60 years, you would define this relationship between the United States and Japan, since it got formalized in 1960, as one of alliance protection. I think this state visit kind of ends that era and defines the next period of time, this alliance projection from alliance protection.

And in the last two years that allowed this transition to occur, the Prime Minister changed five to six major 70-year-old policies that have always been on the books. Japan has gone from a 1 percent cap on defense spending to 2 percent of GDP. And that was before there was even a tank on the Ukrainian border. And it’s going to become the third-largest military spender in the world.

They’ve acquired Tomahawk counter-strike capability, which will have a real effectiveness to the credibility of our collective deterrence.

Third, they’ve lifted the cap on defense technology export.

Fourth, with us they have raised the ROK-Japan-U.S. relationship, as experienced in Camp David, to a level of stability that shifted the strategic landscape in the Indo-Pacific as one of (inaudible) main pillars has been that the ROK, Japan, and the United States (inaudible), all three get on the same page.

Fifth is, the day that Russia invaded Ukraine, they ended their policy with Russia and decided to throw all their weight behind values and ideals of (inaudible) democratic democracies and understand that Russia had to be sanctioned because this cannot be permissible behavior, become a norm. The raw exercise of power was committed and accepted and became the new norm.

In that same time, I think then what has that committed for the United States? One is: For the first time ever, we’re going to change the force structure that we have in Japan so it actually can make the most of their new joint operations center that’s part of the defense budget and have a real capacity and capability to integrate our forces. Second is: Now with the cap on the defense export being lifted, we’re going to have a military industrial council that will evaluate where we can (inaudible) and co-produce defense weapons. And so, Japan’s industrial capacity and strength that had always been on the sidelines will come to bear on one of the weak points right now that we have, which is we don’t have really the bandwidth on the defense production capacity that we need for our strategic applications.

There will also be pieces as related to the integrated missile defense system with Australia, the United States, and Japan.

The second column, which is — in the last two years, we’ve signed five separate space agreements with Japan: Artemis, Gateway, Mars, International Space Station framework, and there’ll be a major agreement to the lunar exploration with Japan as a full partner, from expending major resources with their NASA equivalent, which is JAXA.

And then building on the people-to-people, two initiatives. There’ll be a joint AI research between Carnegie Mellon and Keio University, their major private university in Tokyo. That will be in the AI area, funded by both a series of Japanese companies and Microsoft. And then AI — a separate but a different part of AI — between the University of Washington in Washington State and Tsukuba University. And that’s going to be with Amazon and NVIDIA at $50 million.

And then a third kind of people-to-people, which is Norman Mineta scholarship, $12 million, to fund students in their junior year of high school to go live overseas and study — the United States students go to Japan, and Japan high school students come to the United States. The Norm Mineta scholarship.

But to me, each of these, in the end of the day, are — all the particulars add up to a major shift where Japan, which used to be, you know, only worried about the perimeters of their island, projecting not only into the region and the alliance and its value system, but being a full global partner on whatever happens in Europe, the Mideast, and also the Indo-Pacific.

And so, this state visit comes at a point that the relationship is shifting to a higher and different level, and having the building blocks and the deliverables that underscore each one of those pieces.

[Senior administration official]?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Thanks, [senior administration official].

[Senior administration officials] put out a lot on the table here, so I’ll just a saw a few words to wrap up our topper, and then I look forward to taking your questions.

There’s certainly a lot more we can dig into in our defense and security deliverables, where there’s some really (inaudible) advances taking place within the U.S.-Japan alliance, some of which are some of the most consequential moves we will have taken in decades.

But as [senior administration official] just indicated, what we’re really doing here is culminating three years of fast and furious work that would have been unimaginable just a few years ago and, frankly, unimaginable with a leader other than Fumio Kishida, but that has truly taken this alliance to the next level, modernized it, and now put us on a pathway to even bigger things.

And we’ll be taking our next logical steps tomorrow and also lighting the pathway for U.S.-Japan alliance managers for many years to come.

But a broader point that I think I’ll leave it with and conclude these opening remarks is the fact that the President’s visit with Prime Minister Kishida tomorrow, as well as the trilat that he’ll be holding with Prime Minister Kishida and President Marcos of the Philippines later this week, is both a really important and consequential set of meetings in and of themselves, but it’s also a proving ground for the President’s theory of case when it comes to his entire Indo-Pacific strategy.

When the President took office over three years ago, his theory of the case was that if the United States reinvested in its alliances and partnerships in the Indo-Pacific and built collective capacity as we put it in our Indo-Pacific strategy, along with others, that those allies and partners would step up alongside in ways that made us much better able, much better equipped to accomplish our objectives in this critical region.

And nowhere is this theory better proven out than in our alliance with Japan, where Prime Minister Kishida has stepped up and stepped out into the world more than anyone really ever could have imagined.

So that’s what you’ll see on display tomorrow. We have a lot to celebrate, and we’re excited for the pathway ahead. I’ll stop there.

MODERATOR: Great. Thank you all for opening remarks. Moderator, I think we are ready to move into the Q&A portion.

OPERATOR: Moving to our first caller. Michael Shear, your line is unmuted. Please go ahead.

Q Hey all. Thanks for doing the call. I appreciate it. Two quick questions.

One, can you describe what, if any, message President Trump [sic] is going to deliver to the Prime Minister about U.S. Steel and his concerns about a potential acquisition?

And two, to what extent are you all — do you all feel an urgency to cement, I think as [senior administration official] called it, this next level of relationship, given the coming election and the fears in — you know, sort of abroad in many places, but maybe in Japan too, about the possibility that President Trump could come back into office and all that could mean to the region and to the alliance?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: So I’ll start maybe, and then let — I think you inadvertently said what would President Trump have to say. I think you probably meant —

Q Oh, sorry. President Biden. Sorry.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Probably inadvertently reveals your state of mind as well, though.

So, look, on the second part of that question, I can say this: Look, I think we all recognize that there is anxiety in capitals, uncertainty about what the nature of the future of U.S. policy will look like, whether we will remain as engaged in internationalist pursuits and the kinds of bipartisan foreign policy efforts which have animated the last period, both after the Second World War and after the Cold War. There are questions and concerns there.

I think what we believe, and the people on this call have been deeply engaged with this, is that by strengthening and validating the concept of load-bearing bilateral and multilateral relationships — countries that are prepared to lend a hand and work with us and, in some cases, leading efforts — we think that validates that philosophy and creates a kind of momentum of its own.

And so, I think it would be fair to say that, you know, there are a number of responses internationally. I think some countries have sought to lie low. Others recognize that the best approach is to double down and engage deeply with the United States. And we’re seeking to do that.

And I think the Japan experience and what we’ve seen with Prime Minister Kishida is a case study in recognizing that their best possible way forward is a deep, substantial, continuing engagement with the United States.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I’ll pass to [senior administration official] actually on this one.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Mike, let me just deal with the second question, and then I’ll go to the first.

On the second question: Look, there is a tactic and a strategic objective by China, which is to isolate the Philippines, what they’re doing on the coast guard, or to isolate Japan, what they’re doing with the embargo on fish.

The idea of switching to a multilateral lattice-like strategic architecture is then to flip the script and isolate China. When you have, like we did this week, the United States, Japan, Australia, and the Philippines doing an exercise together, when you have the trilat on Thursday, the country that’s isolated is China, not the Philippines.

And in every practice that we’re doing — the strategic, diplomatic, military exercises of doing it multinational is that the end result is that China’s attempt to intimidate one country, make an example of that country and intimidate the others in the neighborhood, flips the script and China is the isolated and the outlier in the neighborhood (inaudible). So that’s number one.

And number two is: You know, I’ve seen it upfront with now three presidents. Not only the trilateral on Thursday, but the one at Camp David with the ROK — if they have trust in America and then personal trust in President Biden, or (inaudible) president, other leaders are going to go past just clearing the bar. They’re going to stretch themselves, spend political capital because it means something and comes back to value.

So the real answer is: Some of this is standalone and will stand the test of time. Building on it requires somebody that’s invested in it. So there’s also risk that’s straight up, because people are putting resources — the Australians, South Korea — ROK, Japan, the Philippines — in the United States because they trust us, they want to work with us, and they know that we are the right kind of counterweight to an untethered China.

Then to the first question on Nippon Steel: Look, the relationship between the United States and Japan is far bigger and more significant than a single commercial deal.

Six weeks ago, the United States gave Mitsui, a Japanese company, a $20 billion deal to build a crane factory here in the United States and replace all our port cranes throughout the United States. Nothing says trusted ally like a $20 billion contract with a Japanese company.

And in 2021, outside companies or foreign companies were looking at Toshiba. Japan said, on national security interests, they didn’t want that to go forward.

So I guess would just basically understand — everybody understands where we are. Everybody understands the significance of not only this visit but also the relationship. And it’s larger than a single effort. And I say that as somebody who started his political career back in — national political career in 1992 working for Bill Clinton.

We’re in a different place fundamentally. And I just think that this single commercial transaction does not define not only the visit, but the relationship and its potential and what is actually delivering in the region or across the globe. And both leaders (inaudible).

OPERATOR: Moving to the next caller in the queue.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: And for the record, I was talking about President Biden, not President Trump.

OPERATOR: Moving to the next caller. Demetri Sevastopulo from Financial Times. Your line is unmuted. Please go ahead.

Q Thanks. I have two questions. The first is for [senior administration official]. The other day at CNAS, you said Japan had made some progress implementing information security systems improvements. How far do you think they are from getting to a place where the U.S. and the Five Eyes are kind of comfortable with their level of security?

And then, for any of you, what sort of the things that you’re doing right now with Japan, including restructuring the U.S. command in Japan, are complete? Do you think we’re at a point where Japan could actually fight alongside the U.S. if there was a contingency over Taiwan? Or is that still a long way away?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I’ll start and then [senior administration officials] jump in.

So, look, I think it’s fair to say that our Japanese partners and allies have taken substantial steps on information security and procedures that protect the most sensitive of information potentially shared between United States and Japan.

As I indicated, there is still more work to do. I think we believe that there are legislative steps, as well as executive actions, that are possible.

You will see over the course of the next few days that we are stepping up our intelligence cooperation. This is an area that [senior administration official] has played a key role in, in particularly ensuring on key initiatives that the two countries are in sync and in close coordination on key information. And I think some of those steps have been deeply successful. And we’re seeking to build on those as we go forward.

I think what you will see over the course of the next couple of days are major steps on the security side, highlighting some cyber-related efforts and also our fundamental goal of being able to share the most important information with our closest ally, Japan.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Thanks, [senior administration official]. You know, the only thing I’ll had on the Taiwan bit is that the U.S. and Japan have carefully honed public (inaudible) on Taiwan that we worked through together a few years ago. And we expect you’ll see language that’s quite similar on this visit.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I got nothing to add.

OPERATOR: Moving to the next caller in queue. Ken Moriyasu from Nikkei Asia. Please go ahead. Your line is unmuted.

Q Hello, thank you very much. I think [senior administration official] said that Japan, until now, was only worried about the parameters of the island but now they will be a full global partner on whatever happens in Europe. This seems like a very drastic statement. What is your expectation of the engagement in places like Ukraine and Gaza? Will it be just political support, or do you expect some kind of security cooperation as well? Thank you.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Ken, you’ve been following this, so it’s not a surprise. Day one they’ve been a full partner on the sanctions. There hasn’t been any equivocation there. They’ve called — their efforts as chair of the G7 has been, as it relates to Ukraine, been incredible in the sense they’re, step by step, measuring all the sanctions, as recently as including Arctic 2.

The second piece of that is there’s no greater contributor to the energy infrastructure that’s being targeted by Putin than Japan, with Mitsubishi and (inaudible) Kawasaki building the major transformers there. I think it’s close to six or — (inaudible) on the exact dollars, but I think it’s close to $6- or $7 billion.

They have used their position and assistance. They just re-upped funding as it relates to food relief in Gaza.

So they are a global partner. And what I meant, and I stand by, is the last period of time has all been just about the defense of Japan. They are stepping beyond that role into — and they did it in March 2022 when there was a U.N. resolution condemning Russia’s vote. They not only voted the correct way; they helped corral 8 out of the 10 ASEAN countries to all vote in favor of condemning Russia for the (inaudible), co-sponsors of the resolution. And that was Japan’s initiative. So, yeah, a global partner.

OPERATOR: Moving to the next caller. (Inaudible) with Kyoto News. Your line is unmuted. Please go ahead.

Q Hi, thank you for taking my question. I would like to ask for AUKUS pillar two, which is likely to be one of the topics at the meeting tomorrow. Is there any specific area in which Japan could bring significant contribution to enforce AUKUS pillar two? Is it AI hypersonic capability or other (inaudible)? Would you give us some explanation? Thank you.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I’m happy to take this one.

You know, we think that Japan stands to potentially bring a great deal to AUKUS pillar two. And as you’re tracking, we will be noting tomorrow that the AUKUS partners are excited to begin their consultations with Japan towards possible inclusion in pillar two.

But I do want to note, number one, that Japan is one of several additional partners that the AUKUS partners are closely considering partnering with under this pillar two (inaudible). And number two, that we expect the consultations will take a period of months, and it will take a portion of the 2024 calendar year before the AUKUS two pillar — the AUKUS pillar two vision is fully fleshed out, that is with us being able to assign specific partners to specific pillar two projects.

So there’s no doubt that Japan brings a great deal to the table. That’s why we are announcing that AUKUS partners want to begin consultations with Tokyo as soon as possible. But we have a way to go before we’re able to share some of the details that you just raised.

OPERATOR: Moving to the next caller. Jennifer Jacobs from Bloomberg News. Your line is unmuted. Please go ahead.

Q Hey, thanks. I heard your answer to the New York Times question about Nippon Steel. So you guys are saying that you do think that the topic of the steel deal will come up between the President and the Prime Minister?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: No.

Q Thank you.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: (Inaudible) to predict, but no, we don’t, because I think that the relationship is much bigger, and I think that everybody understands everybody’s position. I was trying to give you reference points for both Mitsui and Toshiba as kind of — as to kind of appreciate where this is.

OPERATOR: Moving to the next caller. Ryo Kiyomiya from the Asahi Shimbun. Your line is unmuted. Please go ahead.

Q Thank you so much for this opportunity. My question is about the change of the (inaudible) in Japan. First, could you please clear us on expected timeline of deciding and establishing new U.S. force structure in Japan? And also, do expect a drastic change of posture in Japan, such as increasing the number of U.S. personnel of the U.S. (inaudible) or sending of (inaudible) to Japan?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I’m happy to take this one as well.

We’ll be announcing tomorrow our commitment to modernizing our alliance partner posture, including our command and control, in Japan. But I do expect it will take a period of months for the details of those changes to be worked through.

Of course, we’re doing this in close partnership with the government of Japan, with the aim of making ourselves a very neat fit for the new joint operations command that Japanese friends are standing (inaudible). Secretary of Defense Austin and our new INDOPACOM commander will work through the details of what exactly that modernized approach is going to look like.

But tomorrow, not only will the leaders commit to this — undertaking this project together, a project which, as [senior administration official] highlighted, is in many ways one of the biggest changes to take place in the U.S.-Japan alliance since 1960, but they will direct our two-plus-two ministerial structure to take on the responsibility of executing these changes (inaudible).

So this is all to say: Stay tuned. It’ll take a period of months to work through. But we have not only a commitment but the structure to get these details hashed out very soon.

OPERATOR: Moving to the next caller. Prashant Jha from Hindustan Times. Your line is unmuted. Please go ahead.

Q Hi. My question is for [senior administration official]. One of the things that you said was this is a validation of the Indo-Pacific strategy of the President, where he assigns this role to partners, and partners step up. I was wondering how you’re thinking of India within the context of this deepening military, defense, security partnership with your treaty allies in East Asia. Do you see India as a part of this network? We know that, bilaterally, India’s relations have improved with the U.S. as well as with these countries. Do you see it as a part of a wider network as well? Thank you.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: First of all, thank you very much for the question. I do — and I understand the way you asked it, but I think it’s important to just underscore: I don’t think this is about the United States assigning roles to countries. I think it is much more about working in partnership with likeminded and other states who share common views about what should be upheld on the global stage with respect to key features of the global operating system that I think we’ve all benefited from.

I think if you ask the President, one of the things that he’s proudest of is his efforts to build a stronger relationship between the United States and India. And I do believe, both in the Indo-Pacific and the Indian Ocean, and on key issues like technology, the United States and India are working more closely together than ever before.

And I would simply say that I think the U.S.-India relationship is trending substantially in a positive direction and that our level of engagement across every possible vector — security, intelligence, technology, people-to-people — has excelled.

And I think the point that [senior administration official] made is not only have our relations with India improved in a bilateral context, but it is also the case that India’s partnership with other countries, working with us and then working just independently, has also stepped up substantially. I would say, in many respects, engagement with India is some of the most — the most desired kinds of engagements on the global stage, and we’ve seen this with a variety of key players.

I’ll be in India next week to celebrate elements of our bilateral relationship, compare notes on the Indo-Pacific, and also talk about next steps in technology cooperation. We think these are all effective, prudent elements of taking the U.S.-India relationship to the next level.

And, yes, I do believe, perhaps in the past, on both sides, there perhaps had been some ambivalence or some uncertainty. I see very little of that now. I see leaders on both sides who are all in on the promise and prospects of the other, recognize the potential of this relationship that is deeply supported by an activist diaspora community here, and technology and other firms who understand the potential of India.

And I would just simply say that I see the engagement with India as central to everything that we’re seeking to do on the global stage. And I would simply say that I think, in many respects, it will be our most important bilateral partnership heading into the latter parts of the 21st century.

So, thank you for that.

OPERATOR: Moving to our next caller. Sang-ho Song from Yonhap News Agency. Your line is unmuted. Please go ahead.

Q Thank you for doing this. I have a question for [senior administration official]. You talked about the transition from alliance protection to alliance projection. So can you elaborate further on what you actually meant by projection? Is it projection of power for global security?

And my second question is that: What kind of end state are you pursuing when it comes to the combined command structure? Are the United States and Japan pursuing these structures akin to the Combined Forces Command in South Korea between the U.S. Forces Korea and the (inaudible) military? Thank you.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, let me say about alliance projection: A lot of times, as you just did, it’s always defined as — or kind of narrowed down to defense. I actually see — if one of the things we want is credible deterrence, we should widen the definition of what deterrence looks like.

And I think both the trilateral meeting with the Philippine president, the trilateral meeting and gathering that happened at Camp David, that’s about credible deterrence. As much as what Japan is doing individually and then in collaboration with us on a series of exercises, it’s about the credibility of deterrence. What they’re negotiating with the Philippines, the reciprocal agreement, that’s part of deterrence.

So the wider definition is, in my view, what matters here. And when I say about alliance projection in the region — when it’s either the Quad or either one of the trilats, or whether it’s a military exercise with the Philippines, the constant in all this by our side is Japan. That did not exist 5 years ago, 10 years ago, 15 years ago, 20 years ago. It’s a different — this is the new norm. And the constant in both the diplomatic arena, the defense arena, or the development and economic arena, which will be a big part of what happens with the Philippines trilat, is Japan is the constant in this effort.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I would just add one other thing to [senior administration official] colleagues that — look, it should not be lost on you that this is our fifth state visit and state dinner. But four of the five — this is the crowning partnership of the Quad. And so, this suggests how the President views the Quad, how important it is, how central it has been to his vision of a deeper Indo-Pacific engagement. And at the heart of that, as [senior administration official] has indicated, is Japan. Everything that we’re doing of purpose on the global stage we’re doing with Japan.

Q Could I ask also about the command structure, the end state of this?

MODERATOR: Unfortunately, we have to conclude today’s call. I’d like to offer it up to [senior administration official] for any quick closing remarks here.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I’ll just speak briefly to that last question, which is to say, you know, the end state is that close integration and coordination of our forces, of the U.S. and Japan, in a way that’s appropriate for 21st century challenges. I think both of our countries has been clear that that’s the objective of our alliance modernization efforts. And we look forward to pursuing it in lockstep.

But zooming out, just back to sort of (inaudible) context of the week we’re having here, obviously we’ve been talking about, in a fair amount of detail, a number of these really substantial deliverables that are going to move our alliance forward in consequential ways.

But I want to bring us back to the fact that in addition to this state visit with Prime Minister Kishida — which, of course, in celebration of how much we’ve achieved in the last three years — we are also holding the first-ever trilateral leaders’ summit with President Marcos on Thursday. We’ll be back to share more on that tomorrow and to preview some of the outcomes then.

But when you take these two achievements together, these are critical parts of a much bigger picture in which the President’s vision, Jake Sullivan’s vision for how we do strategy in the Indo-Pacific is bearing itself out in real time.

You’re seeing a single treaty ally, who has always been one of the United States’ closest partners, stepping up in more consequential ways than anyone could have imagined. And another ally in the Philippines working more closely with us than (inaudible) the years. And the three of us together able to marshal resources towards common objectives in ways that weren’t even on the horizon two years ago.

So it really is an important week for (inaudible) in addition to our bilateral visit and the deliverables that we’re unveiling tomorrow. We’re grateful to all of you for the conversation today. And we look forward to talking about more soon.

MODERATOR: All right, thank you so much. And thank you all for joining today. Thank you to [senior administration official]. Thank you to [senior administration official].

I’d just like to remind everyone that this call is on background, attributed to senior administration officials, embargoed for tomorrow morning at 5:00 a.m.

I also wanted to flag for everyone that we will hold, for everyone’s planning purposes, another background call tomorrow afternoon, I believe at 3:00 p.m., to preview the trilateral summit of the U.S., Japan, and the Philippines. So, stay tuned for information about that.

And if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to myself or our team here at the NSC. Thank you very much.

6:22 P.M. EDT

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