Trump to strengthen ties with UAE during May's three-country tour

US President Donald Trump will look to strengthen ties with the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar during his visit in May.

In a White House briefing, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump "will travel to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE from May 13 until May 16," without elaborating on details.

It will be Trump's first visit to the Middle East since taking office for a second term.

"The president looks to strengthen the ties between the United States and these countries in which he will be visiting," she added.

"He'll be having bilateral meetings and talks. And we look forward to the trip."

During a phone call in March, President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Trump focused on strengthening strategic ties between the UAE and US and explored ways to enhance cooperation across various areas.

Sheikh Mohamed had focused on the importance of ensuring the delivery of vital humanitarian aid to Gaza and reiterated the UAE’s support for the two-state solution.

Earlier, in March, Trump said his trip to Saudi Arabia would be to seal an agreement to invest upwards of $1 trillion in the US economy, including purchases of military equipment.

"Tremendous jobs will be created in those two or three days," Trump said, without giving out any details.