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Before he hits the beach at the end of the week, President Obama wants to address mounting public concerns about his strategy for confronting terrorism and to show he is focused on the fight, beginning with a visit to the Pentagon today.

Mr. Obama is scheduled to cross the Potomac River this morning and preside over a meeting of his National Security Council at the Department of Defense, where he will receive an update on the offensive against the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, and speak to reporters afterward.

White House officials say they do not expect the president to announce a shift in strategy or major developments in the effort, although they routinely note that Mr. Obama is constantly evaluating the situation and ready to adjust policy as necessary.

“If there’s an opportunity for us to intensify efforts behind one aspect of our strategy, then that’s something that he wants his team to be prepared to do,” Josh Earnest, the White House press secretary, said on Friday.

The public seems increasingly anxious about Mr. Obama’s handling of terrorism in the wake of the Paris attacks and the mass shooting in San Bernardino, Calif., that was carried out by extremists who claimed allegiance with the Islamic State. His Oval Office address on Dec. 6 appeared to do little to allay those worries, including among members of his own party.

In an effort to respond, the president is working to demonstrate that he has a plan for defeating the Islamic State abroad and for protecting Americans at home. Mr. Obama will also visit the National Counterterrorism Center on Thursday for his annual preholiday security briefing on the country’s threat level.

“There’s heightened awareness about that in advance of this holiday season,” Mr. Earnest said.

This week is Mr. Obama’s last chance before Christmas to show Americans he is engaged on the issue; on Friday, he is scheduled to fly to Hawaii for his annual two-week getaway with his family.