President Donald Trump praised his administration Friday for "rapidly" fixing problems voters want fixed and pledged to travel widely before the 2018 elections to extend Republican advantages in the House and Senate.
In a video aired at the Republican National Committee meeting in Coronado, Calif., Trump listed gains he said had been made during his early tenure: "taking bold action" to reorganize federal agencies, cutting regulations and, in a comment that drew applause, putting "another conservative voice on the Supreme Court for future generations."
"Without your leadership in the states, we would not have accomplished so much so fast _ don't forget we set lots of records _ and I think we're going to do even better next time," he said.
It was not clear whether that was a reference to a re-election campaign in 2020 or the looming 2018 congressional elections.
But Trump did contend that he would be an active participant in trying to break a hex that has struck most presidents two years after their initial election: losing House seats in the midterms.
"I'll be going around to different states. I'll be working hard for the people running for the Congress and for the people running for the Senate," he said.
"We can pick up a lot of seats, especially if it all keeps going like it's going now. Together, we will put this country on the right path to make America great again. Remember, make America great again or, if you want, America first."
Trump did not mention the firestorm over his firing this week of FBI Director James Comey. Nor did he mention the difficult effort to repeal and replace Obamacare _ one of his most consistent promises of 2016.
The fight over health care has made Trump's 2018 goal more difficult; congressional campaign analysts have suggested that nearly two dozen seats have moved in the direction of Democrats since the Republican plan surfaced.
In his video message, the president looked forward, instead, to reforming the nation's tax laws. He pledged to cut business taxes from 35 percent to 15 percent and said he would change tax rules that have led U.S. companies to park profits offshore.
"We're going to have money that can't come back into our country come flowing back in by the trillions," he said. "Could be $4 (trillion) or $5 trillion that's coming back into our country. Right now, you can't get it back; the taxes are too high, and the bureaucracy is too strong."
Prior estimates have suggested that figure was on the high end of repatriation benefits. In 2015, estimates suggested $2.4 trillion was in offshore accounts.
Trump also made a point of praising Homeland Security Chief John Kelly, saying that he has done "an incredible job" in limiting illegal immigration into the country.
"The security of our country and safety of the American people are at risk," Trump said. "We want to strengthen our military and defend our borders if we have any goal of keeping our people safe."
The president made the remarks just miles from the Mexican border, and in a state where Republicans are far more likely than their counterparts elsewhere to support immigration reform that allows a path to citizenship _ an option Trump has ruled out.
