US president Donald Trump has described having some “incredible meetings” with Republicans at Camp David as they ready their 2018 legislative agenda.
He said the group, including congressional leaders and Cabinet members, discussed a variety of topics, from national security and infrastructure to the military and the budget.
Mr Trump said: “We are very well prepared for the coming year. We finished very strong.”
Thank you to the great Republican Senators who showed up to our mtg on immigration reform. We must BUILD THE WALL, stop illegal immigration, end chain migration & cancel the visa lottery. The current system is unsafe & unfair to the great people of our country – time for change!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018
He is hoping to work out a deal with Democrats that may include granting legal status to about 800,000 young immigrants temporarily shielded from deportation under an Obama-era programme known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.
He said: “It’s something certainly that I’d like to see happen.”
Mr Trump also wants to address the problem of drugs “pouring into this country and how to stop it”.
He cited opioids and “drugs in the traditional sense”.
2017 was a big year for this nation and we look forward to all that is to come now, in 2018! #HappyNewYear pic.twitter.com/VoinPGduhn
— House Republicans (@HouseGOP) January 1, 2018
Mr Trump said he will no longer campaign for insurgents challenging incumbent Republican members of Congress.
He said he is planning a robust schedule of campaigning ahead of the 2018 midterm elections – including primary elections.
Mr Trump said he will be “very involved” with both House and Senate races and campaign for incumbents as well as “anybody else that has my kind of thinking”.
After a stinging GOP loss in Alabama, Mr Trump said he will not support challengers, declaring: “I don’t see that happening.”
He supported Roy Moore, who lost the recent Alabama special election, handing Democrats another seat in the Senate.
Mr Trump said he needed more Republicans in office to get his agenda passed.
