Jerusalem (CNN)President Donald Trump on Monday became the first sitting US president to visit the Western Wall, one of the holiest sites in Judaism.
Trump, wearing a yarmulke, placed his right hand on the wall and swayed slightly back and forth with his eyes closed for nearly a minute. He then reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a noted on a folded piece of paper, and placed it into a crack in the wall.
He was flanked by his son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner, who is Jewish, and Western Wall Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovich.
First lady Melania Trump and Ivanka Trump, the President's daughter, also prayed at the wall, at the portion reserved for women.
Trump visited the Western Wall without any Israeli government officials by his side despite requests from Israeli officials.
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump board Air Force One on Saturday, May, 27, 2017, at Naval Air Station Sigonella in Italy. They were headed back to the United States after a nine-day trip to the Middle East and Europe.
Hide Caption
1 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
President Trump greets people on May 27, after speaking to US troops at Naval Air Station Sigonella.
Hide Caption
2 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
President Trump addresses US troops and their families on May 27, at the Sigonella Naval Air Station.
Hide Caption
3 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
President Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive on May 27, to address US military personnel and families at Naval Air Station Sigonella.
Hide Caption
4 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Leaders of the G-7 and some African nations pose for a photo on May 27, on the second day of the G-7 summit in Taormina, Italy.
Hide Caption
5 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
President Trump gestures on May 27, during a G-7 session.
Hide Caption
6 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
President Donald Trump and his wife, Melania, arrive for a concert of the La Scala Philharmonic Orchestra while in Taormina, Italy, on Friday, May 26. The Trumps are in Italy for a two-day G-7 summit.
Hide Caption
7 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Trump and other leaders pose for a group photo at the G-7 summit on May 26. From left are European Council President Donald Tusk, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Trump, Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, French President Emmanuel Macron, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, British Prime Minister Theresa May and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.
Hide Caption
8 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Trump and Trudeau walk together after the group photo.
Hide Caption
9 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
G-7 leaders congregate during a walking tour on May 26.
Hide Caption
10 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Trump embraces new French President Emmanuel Macron on May 26.
Hide Caption
11 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
The leaders watch a French air squadron.
Hide Caption
12 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Melania Trump arrives at the City Hall in Catania, Italy, on May 26. She was wearing a $51,500 Dolce & Gabbana jacket as she met with other spouses of G-7 leaders.
Hide Caption
13 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Trump shakes hands with Macron in Brussels, Belgium, on Thursday, May 25. They were attending a NATO summit as the alliance officially opened a new $1 billion headquarters.
Hide Caption
14 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Trump stands with other world leaders during a NATO photo shoot on May 25.
Hide Caption
15 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Trump speaks with British Prime Minister Theresa May during a working dinner at NATO headquarters.
Hide Caption
16 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Trump stands next to German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the NATO summit.
Hide Caption
17 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Melania Trump visits the Magritte Museum in Brussels with Amelie Derbaudrenghien, partner of Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel.
Hide Caption
18 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
A girl takes a selfie with Melania Trump at a children's hospital in Brussels on May 25.
Hide Caption
19 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Trump meets with Macron in Brussels.
Hide Caption
20 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Trump walks with European Council President Donald Tusk, center, and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, right, after they met at the European Council in Brussels on May 25.
Hide Caption
21 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Trump, third from right, attends a meeting with leaders at the European Council.
Hide Caption
22 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Trump speaks with King Philippe of Belgium as Queen Mathilde and Melania Trump chat during a reception at the Royal Palace in Brussels on Wednesday, May 24.
Hide Caption
23 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Tusk talks to Trump as he welcomes him in Brussels.
Hide Caption
24 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Trump stands with Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel while the national anthem is played during Trump's arrival in Belgium on May 24.
Hide Caption
25 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Protesters in Brussels demonstrate with effigies of Trump and Michel on May 24.
Hide Caption
26 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Trump shakes hands with Italian President Sergio Mattarella in Rome on May 24.
Hide Caption
27 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Pope Francis stands with Trump and his family during a private audience at the Vatican on May 24. Joining the President, from left, are Trump's son-in-law, White House senior adviser Jared Kushner; Trump's daughter and adviser Ivanka Trump; and first lady Melania Trump.
Hide Caption
28 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Trump and the Pope exchange gifts. Trump presented the Pope with a first-edition set of Martin Luther King's writings. The Pope gave Trump an olive-tree medal that the Pope said symbolizes peace.
Hide Caption
29 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Trump and his wife look at the ceilings of the Sistine Chapel.
Hide Caption
30 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Trump speaks to reporters in Rome during a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, right, on May 24.
Hide Caption
31 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
The first lady visits a pediatric hospital in Vatican City on May 24.
Hide Caption
32 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Melania Trump arrives at the Vatican on May 24. With Vatican protocol in mind, she wore a black veil and long-sleeved black dress draped down to her calf. Ivanka Trump wore a similar outfit with a larger veil.
Hide Caption
33 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wave at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem on Tuesday, May 23. Trump gave a speech there, reaffirming his country's commitment to Israel while also holding up Judaism's historical ties to the United States.
Hide Caption
34 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
People take pictures of the message Trump wrote at Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem, on May 23.
Hide Caption
35 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
With the help of US Marines, Trump and his wife lay a wreath at Yad Vashem.
Hide Caption
36 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Trump meets with Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the Palestinian Authority, on May 23. Trump met with Israeli leaders the day before and said he believes both sides "are ready to reach for peace."
Hide Caption
37 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
A Palestinian security official takes position before the arrival of Trump's convoy in Bethlehem, West Bank.
Hide Caption
38 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Israeli and American activists hold signs Monday, May 22, during an anti-Trump protest next to the US embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Hide Caption
39 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Melania Trump and Israeli first lady Sara Netanyahu speak to children during their visit to the Hadassah hospital in Jerusalem on May 22.
Hide Caption
40 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Trump talks to reporters as he meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on May 22. Trump sought to rebut claims that he damaged Israeli intelligence capabilities by revealing highly classified information to Russian operatives earlier this month. "Just so you understand, I never mentioned the word or the name Israel," Trump told reporters as he began the second leg of his first foreign tour.
Hide Caption
41 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Trump touches the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest prayer site, while in Jerusalem on May 22. Trump became the first sitting US president to visit the wall.
Hide Caption
42 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Trump stands in the Western Wall plaza. To his left, in black, is Shmuel Rabinowitz, the rabbi of the Western Wall.
Hide Caption
43 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
First lady Melania Trump, in white, visits the Western Wall. At far left is Ivanka Trump.
Hide Caption
44 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
The President and first lady plant a tree in Jerusalem with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin.
Hide Caption
45 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Trump is welcomed by Netanyahu upon arriving in Tel Aviv on May 22. Trump started his trip with two days in Saudi Arabia.
Hide Caption
46 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
On the way to Tel Aviv, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson speaks with reporters aboard Air Force One.
Hide Caption
47 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
While in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Trump attends the inauguration ceremony for the Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology. Joining him here are Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, center, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, left.
Hide Caption
48 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Trump speaks in Riyadh during the Arab Islamic American Summit on Sunday, May 21. Trump looked to make it clear that the United States is not at war with Islam. "This is not a battle between different faiths, different sects or different civilizations," he said. "This is a battle between barbaric criminals who seek to obliterate human life, and decent people of all religions who seek to protect it. This is a battle between good and evil."
Hide Caption
49 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Trump sits at the summit, which included leaders from 55 Muslim-majority countries. He urged them to do more to eradicate terrorist groups that claim the mantle of Islam. "We can only overcome this evil if the forces of good are united and strong and if everyone in this room does their fair share and fulfills their part of the burden," Trump said. "Muslim-majority countries must take the lead in stamping out radicalization."
Hide Caption
50 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Trump poses with other leaders at the Arab Islamic American Summit.
Hide Caption
51 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Saudi King Salman shakes hands with Trump on May 21. Trump is the first US president to start his first foreign trip in the Middle East.
Hide Caption
52 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Trump meets with other heads of state in Riyadh on May 21.
Hide Caption
53 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Trump speaks with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Gen. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Hide Caption
54 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
First lady Melania Trump chats with children during a visit to the American International School in Riyadh on May 21.
Hide Caption
55 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
While in Riyadh, President Trump meets with Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa on May 21.
Hide Caption
56 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
President Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi share a laugh during a meeting on May 21. El-Sisi complimented Trump on his "unique personality that is capable of doing the impossible." Trump exchanged pleasantries back, praising el-Sisi's shoes.
Hide Caption
57 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Trump is handed a sword during a welcoming ceremony at Riyadh's Murabba Palace on Saturday, May 20.
Hide Caption
58 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Trump sits with members of his staff and Cabinet before a meeting with Saudi King Salman on May 20.
Hide Caption
59 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Trump and King Salman take part in a signing ceremony at the Saudi Royal Court in Riyadh on May 20. The two leaders oversaw the signing of a defense deal worth nearly $110 billion.
Hide Caption
60 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
The Trumps look at a display of modern art at the Saudi Royal Court in Riyadh.
Hide Caption
61 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
King Salman presents Trump with a gilded necklace and medal, the country's highest honor. The distinction also was bestowed upon Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush.
Hide Caption
62 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
The first lady chats with Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Nayef at the medal ceremony on May 20.
Hide Caption
63 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Ivanka Trump attends the medal ceremony.
Hide Caption
64 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Trump meets with King Salman after arriving in Riyadh on May 20.
Hide Caption
65 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Soldiers on horseback carry the US and Saudi flags as they escort Trump to the Saudi Royal Court in Riyadh.
Hide Caption
66 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
Trump is welcomed by King Salman after arriving at the King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.
Hide Caption
67 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
The Trumps take part in the welcome ceremony.
Hide Caption
68 of 69
Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip
The President and first lady wave from Air Force One after landing in Riyadh.
Hide Caption
69 of 69
The United States does not recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, a position shared by nearly every other country in the international community. Successive US administrations have said the status of the disputed city should be resolved in a final status peace agreement between Israelis and Palestinians.
The Western Wall sits in Jerusalem's Old City, which was captured by Israel during the Six-Day War in 1967. Israel also occupied the West Bank and Gaza after that conflict. Palestinians and most of the international community consider East Jerusalem, which contains the Old City, as the capital of a future Palestinian state.
Trump's visit to the wall comes after US officials meeting with their Israeli counterparts to arrange Trump's visit sparked off a controversy by contending that the Western Wall was part of the West Bank -- which is not US policy.
Past US presidents have visited the wall, but either before or after their tenure as president.
Trump promised during his campaign to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital and move the US embassy in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, but has since backed off that pledge -- at least for now.
Trump was considering fulfill that pledge with an announcement during his visit to the city this week -- which coincides with Jerusalem Day on Tuesday -- but backed off the idea amid warnings from foreign policy officials in Washington as well as from Arab leaders in the region, who warned Trump such a move could hurt chances of reviving peace negotiations and inflame tensions in the region.
