US President Barack Obama is confident in the quality of Gulf of Mexico seafood despite the BP oil spill and will serve some at a party Sunday to mark his 49th birthday, a top aide said.

President Barack Obama supports a proposal that a large portion of any federal penalties paid by BP Plc over the Gulf of Mexico oil spill be returned to the states, White House energy adviser Carol Browner said today.

President Barack Obama's administration sees the restoration of the Gulf Coast after the BP oil spill as a national priority and the president should not be blamed for the disaster, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus said on Saturday.

US President Barack Obama said Wednesday the BP static kill effort to plug the runaway Gulf of Mexico oil well appeared to be working, calling this welcome news.

Barack Obama has announced he is to take his family on holiday to the Gulf of Mexico coast, the area blighted by the BP oil disaster.