During his remarks Thursday, Obama also confronted a number of controversies that have rocked his administration recently. He addressed the fatal attack on the U.S. compound in Benghazi, Libya, last year by calling for an increase in funding for embassy security. He criticized the IRS for allegedly giving extra scrutiny to tea-party and other right-wing groups, but defended his administration’s decision to secretly subpoena the phone records of roughly 100 Associated Press reporters. The Justice Department took the action in response to a May 2012 article that revealed information about CIA activity in Yemen. While the seizure has been widely condemned as a violation of press freedom, Obama said it was necessary for national security.

President Obama: “I make no apologies, and I don’t think the American people would expect me, as commander-in-chief, not to be concerned about information that might compromise their missions or might get them killed. Now, the flip side of it is, we also live in a democracy where a free press, free expression and the open flow of information helps hold me accountable, helps hold our government accountable and helps our democracy function.”