The Latest: Trump says he thinks Mueller 'will be fair'
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) - The Latest on President Donald Trump in Florida (all times local):
9:35 p.m.
President Donald Trump says he believes special counsel Robert Mueller "will be fair" to him, because "everybody knows that there was no collusion" between Trump's presidential campaign and Russia.
Mueller is leading the federal investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Trump tells The New York Times in an interview posted Thursday night that Mueller's probe - as well as two congressional investigations into the matter - have "angered" his base and "made the base stronger." He says some lawmakers "have been unbelievable in pointing out what a witch hunt the whole thing is."
And the president repeats his assertion that Democrats "made the Russian story up as a hoax, as a ruse, as an excuse for losing an election that in theory Democrats should always win."
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7:20 p.m.
President Donald Trump says the East Coast "could use a little bit of that good old Global Warming" as bitter cold temperatures are expected to freeze large swaths of the country this holiday weekend.
Trump tweets, "In the East, it could be the COLDEST New Year's Eve on record."
He adds that: "Perhaps we could use a little bit of that good old Global Warming that our Country, but not other countries, was going to pay TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS to protect against. Bundle up!"
Trump has repeatedly expressed skepticism about climate change science, calling global warming a "hoax" created by the Chinese to damage American industry.
He announced earlier this year his intention to pull out of the landmark Paris climate agreement aimed at curbing greenhouse gas production.
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7 p.m.
President Donald Trump is dining Thursday night at his private Mar-a-Lago club with Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross.
Deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley says the two men will discuss trade, job creation and "America's record-setting booming economy."
Trump has taken to Twitter this week to boast about improvements in the U.S. economy. He tweeted Thursday, "We've got the economy going better than anyone ever dreamt - and you haven't seen anything yet!"
On Tuesday, Trump vowed that the tax cut legislation he signed last week will lead to "a great year for Companies and JOBS!"
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3 a.m.
President Donald Trump is planning to get a head start on the 2018 legislative agenda by meeting early in the new year with Capitol Hill's top Republicans.
The White House says Trump will host Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan at the Camp David presidential retreat during the weekend of Jan. 6.
Spokesmen for Ryan and McConnell have confirmed they will attend.
The pow-wow will follow the recent enactment of legislation to cut taxes, beginning next year, for corporations and individuals at an estimated cost of $1.5 trillion added to the national debt over 10 years.