February 27, 2018

*-- Trump to U.S. governors: School safety 'first' on priority list --*

President Donald Trump will meet with U.S. governors Monday to discuss a wide range of topics, but the president said improving safety in the country's schools -- in the wake of the deadly shooting in Florida -- will top the list.

The president will meet with U.S. governors at the White House Monday for their annual winter meeting.

"We're going to have a lot of meetings," Trump said at the Governors' Ball Sunday night. "We're going to have some very important meetings. We'll be talking about Parkland and the horrible event that took place last week."

"That will be one of the subjects. And I think we'll make that first on our list," he added. "Because we have to end our country of what's happening with respect to that subject."

Last week, Trump said at the Conservative Political Action Conference he favors allowing teachers and school administrators to carry firearms on school grounds -- a prospect he said could have averted the attack at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., Feb. 14, that killed 17 students and teachers.

At Sunday night's event, the president specifically acknowledged Florida Gov. Rick Scott, who's announced a $500 million school safety proposal.

"You're doing a great job. Really great job," Trump said.

Last week, Trump promised to strengthen background checks and discussed arming teachers at a listening session with parents, students and teachers who survived the attack.

Trump acknowledged other issued on Sunday night, including the domestic economy.

"The regulations have kicked in because I began that right at the beginning of 13 months. I mean, I started right from day one," he said.

"You're going to see some numbers coming up over the next year, the likes of which we haven't seen in our country for many, many years," Trump added. "People are building and farming and doing lot of things that they were having a very hard time doing."