WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama tried to defuse a trio of controversies today, pledging to work with Congress to ensure the IRS doesn’t abuse its power, urging legislators to provide more money to strengthen security at U.S. diplomatic outposts and promising to seek “a balance” between national security and a need to protect freedom of the press.

“I think we’re going to be able to fix it,” Obama said, speaking in particular of the IRS’ targeting of conservative groups for special scrutiny. He vowed to make sure the agency is “doing its job scrupulously and without even a hint of bias.”

Trying to steer clear of Republican criticism of the administration’s response to the terror attacks that killed four Americans last year in Benghazi, Libya, the president called on Congress to work with the White House to provide more money to strengthen U.S. diplomatic missions’ security.