WASHINGTON

US President Donald Trump will visit a trio of Middle Eastern states next month for meetings with regional leaders, the White House announced Tuesday.

Trump's May 13-16 trip will see him visiting Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told reporters.

"The president looks forward to this," said Leavitt. "The president looks to strengthen the ties between the United States and these countries in which he will be visiting. He'll be having bilateral meetings and talks. And we look forward to the trip."

The trip was supposed to be Trump's first foreign visit, but Pope Francis' death on Monday will instead take him to Rome this weekend to attend the pontiff's funeral.

Trump will depart Washington on Friday morning for the solemn event, and will return to the US on Saturday after the funeral service.

On Thursday, Trump will host Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store at the White House for a working visit in what will mark the 13th visit of a foreign head of state since the president assumed office in January.