President Obama says goodbye as he leaves the meeting room. (Photo: Reuters)

Opening the press conference broadcast live from the White House, President Obama said that the US economy has seen steady, steady progress, with the unemployment rate falling to only about 5%, impressive job growth with 13.7 million new jobs created, the number of people receiving health care programs increasing, and most importantly, income and wages increasing faster than at any other time.

The White House leader also appreciated the efforts of the Democratic and Republican parties to promote judicial reform to build a more fair and balanced judicial system with the aim of reducing crime rates.

Responding to questions about US foreign affairs, President Obama said the US Government had a “busy” year and had reached a breakthrough nuclear agreement with Iran, re-established diplomatic relations with Cuba after more than half a century of hostility, and completed negotiations on the historic Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

Mr. Obama asserted that the TPP is the most pro-worker and environmentally friendly trade agreement in history and that the deal will eliminate nearly all barriers to American goods.

Referring to one of the hottest issues that the United States has faced in the past year, the war on terrorism, President Obama admitted that the United States is facing difficulties in the fight against terrorism in general and against the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) group in Syria and Iraq in particular, but assured that the United States can defeat this terrorist group.

According to Mr. Obama, the US-led coalition has made steady progress in the fight against IS over the past year and expressed confidence that IS will eventually be eliminated.

President Obama also acknowledged that so-called “lone wolf” elements with IS-inspired ideology are posing a new threat to US national security.

Regarding the war in Syria, Mr. Obama said that the war is creating "fertile ground" for IS to develop and that the war cannot end unless Syria has a legitimate government recognized by the majority of the people of this Middle Eastern country./.

According to Vietnam+