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Washington • President Barack Obama is interrupting a weekend trip to return to the White House.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Obama changed his plans for Friday and will return to Washington late in the evening after fundraisers in New York and Rhode Island, instead of overnighting in New York as originally planned.

Earnest said Obama himself made the decision to return to the White House and that it was unrelated to any current events.

"He can sleep in his own bed, do a little work tomorrow, spend some time with his family" before traveling back to Westchester County in New York on Saturday afternoon to attend a private event.

That event is the wedding of Sam Kass, Obama's personal chef, to MSNBC host Alex Wagner.

The trips come as Obama considers how to respond to the Islamic State terrorist threat and Russia's apparent invasion of Ukraine.

Obama headlines three fundraising events on Friday, including two in Westchester County and a third in Newport, Rhode Island.

The New York fundraisers will benefit the Democratic National Committee, which is still paying off debt from 2012.

The Rhode Island event benefits the fundraising arm for House Democrats. Obama is expected to be joined at the Rhode Island event by House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi.