U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks about his proposed U.S. government effort against the street gang Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, to a gathering of federal, state and local law enforcement officials in Brentwood, New York, U.S. July 28, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump spoke by phone with Jordan’s King Abdullah on Friday to discuss regional events of the past two weeks and both leaders said they were “encouraged by the efforts taken to de-escalate tensions and by the progress that has been made,” the White House said in a statement.

King Abdullah demanded on Thursday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu put on trial an embassy security guard who shot dead two Jordanians on Sunday, and said relations between the neighboring states were at risk.

Trump also “emphasized Jordan’s important role in regional security,” the White House statement said.