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White House sees wild-card nature as asset in Trump’s first foreign trip

Trump’s first foreign trip as president will be to Saudi Arabia, Israel and Rome, the holy places for Islam, Judaism and Christianity, as he tries to rally the world to unite against extremism and intolerance, aides say.
U.S. President Donald Trump waves as he leaves the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, U.S., before his departure to New York May 4, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria - RTS1581R

WASHINGTON — On his first foreign trip since becoming president, Donald Trump will travel this month to Saudi Arabia, Israel and Rome, in what the White House described as an effort to rally the world — and the three major faiths symbolized by those locales — together to battle intolerance that has given rise to extremist groups such as the Islamic State (IS).

The itinerary reflects what White House officials described as a way to translate Trump’s “America First” agenda into confident American leadership on the world stage, to reinvigorate old alliances and seek new opportunities for cooperation.

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