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Trump backs Egypt's Sisi in face of some protests back home

September 24, 2019 at 2:03 am

US President Donald Trump meets Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi (R) at the White House in Washington, United States on 3 April 2017 [Presidency of Egypt/Anadolu Agency]

US President Donald Trump on Monday gave strong backing to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi as Sisi grapples with protests at home, saying the United States and Egypt have a great long-term relationship, Reuters reports.

“Everybody has demonstrations,” Trump said with Sisi as they met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. “No, I’m not concerned with it. Egypt has a great leader.”

Sisi was first elected in 2014 with 97% of the vote, and re-elected four years later with the same percentage, in a vote in which the only other candidate was an ardent Sisi supporter. His popularity has been dented by economic austerity measures.

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