Obama calls new Egyptian president to congratulate him: White House

President Barack Obama called new Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi on Tuesday and affirmed their commitment to a U.S.-Egyptian strategic partnership, the White House said.
 
Sisi was sworn in on Sunday, almost a year after toppling elected President Mohamed Morsi, an ouster that Obama resisted calling a coup because it would have prompted Washington to cut off assistance to Egypt.
 
The White House said Obama called Sisi to congratulate him on his inauguration and “to convey his commitment to working together to advance the shared interests of both countries.”
 
“The president reiterated the United States’ continuing support for the political, economic, and social aspirations of the Egyptian people, and respect for their universal rights,” the White House said.