Obama to hold year-end news conference before Hawaii vacation
WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama is preparing to take questions from reporters at the White House before starting his annual Hawaii vacation.
The White House says Obama will hold his traditional year-end news conference on Friday afternoon in the White House briefing room.
On Monday, Mr. Obama addressed reporters from the Pentagon on efforts to fight terrorist groups abroad, and on Thursday, the president spoke to the nation during a visit to the National Counterterrorism Center in McLean, Virginia. In both appearances, he attempted to reassure Americans that the federal government's counterterrorism efforts are robust and that there are no current credible terror threats to the homeland.
After his end-of-year press conference on Friday, the president will depart for San Bernardino, California, where he plans to meet with families of the 14 victims of the recent mass shooting. Mr. Obama doesn't plan any public appearances while in California.
The California stop will be the president's last before he travels to Hawaii to spend Christmas and New Year's with his family. Mr. Obama has vacationed in Hawaii every year since taking office.
The president is scheduled to return to the White House on Jan. 4 to start his last year in office.