U.S. President Donald Trump's younger brother, Robert Trump, died on Saturday at the age of 71, the White House confirmed.

"It is with heavy heart I share that my wonderful brother, Robert, peacefully passed away tonight. He was not just my brother, he was my best friend. He will be greatly missed, but we will meet again. His memory will live on in my heart forever. Robert, I love you. Rest in peace," Trump said in a statement. 

Robert Trump, who was two years younger than the president, was a business executive and real estate developer. The president made a visit to see his ailing brother on Friday at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center.

Born in 1948 as the youngest of real estate developer Fred Trump's five children, Robert Trump was a longtime businessman as well, managing the Trump Organization's real estate holdings outside Manhattan. 

He was perceived as a quiet and easygoing person in the Trump family, being shielded from his father's disciplines and keeping a low public profile particularly after his elder brother won the presidency. 

The younger Trump was a staunch supporter of his brother when the latter ran for president in the 2016 election.

The president was expected to attend the funeral, an aide said.

(With input from Xinhua)