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WASHINGTON, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump has told his Egyptian counterpart that he will continue providing military aid to Egypt, the White House said Monday.
Trump made the pledge during a phone call Monday with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sissi, during which they discussed ways to deepen the bilateral relationship, support Egypt's fight against terrorists and bolster Egypt's economic reform, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said at his first official news briefing.
Trump is committed to continuing military assistance to Egypt and working with Egypt to ensure that assistance most effectively supports the Egyptian military's fight against terrorism, Spicer said.
The two leaders also discussed a visit to the U.S. by al-Sissi in the future, the spokesman added.
Egypt, the second largest recipient of U.S. military aid, has been receiving 1.3 billion U.S. dollars annually in military assistance from the U.S., which in 1979 brokered a peace treaty between Egypt and Israel, the top U.S. ally in the Middle East.
