Donald Trump to attend anti-abortion rally March for Life in presidential first

Donald Trump will become the first president to attend the annual anti-abortion gathering in Washington called the March for Life, the White House has confirmed.

The US leader has made it a priority to embrace social conservatives, particularly on the issue of abortion, and in past years he has sent officials to speak at the march.

Mr Trump has spoken to the event via video link, but this time around he will attend in person, the White House said.

"See you on Friday ... Big Crowd!" Mr Trump tweeted on Wednesday as he returned to the White House after a trip to Switzerland.

"We are so excited for him to experience in person how passionate our marchers are about life and protecting the unborn," said Jeanne Mancini, president of March for Life.

This year's rally comes just weeks before the US Supreme Court hears its first major abortion case since the addition of two justices appointed by Mr Trump.

The case is likely to reveal whether the court - more conservative since the arrival of Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh - is now willing to weaken the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that established a nationwide right to abortion.