File Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump (R) attends a joint press conference with his Brazilian counterpart Jair Bolsonaro at the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington D.C., the United States, on March 19, 2019. (Xinhua/Ting Shen)

WASHINGTON, May 8 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday formally notified U.S. Congress his intent to designate Brazil as a Major Non-NATO Ally, according to the White House.

"I am making this designation in recognition of the Government of Brazil's recent commitments to increase defense cooperation with the United States, and in recognition of our own national interest in deepening our defense coordination with Brazil," Trump wrote in a letter to the Congress

Trump announced his intention to upgrade the status of U.S.-Brazil security relationship during his meeting with visiting Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro in March in Washington.

The designation would give Brazil preferential access to certain kinds of U.S. military assistance, including purchasing excess defense articles and participating in cooperative defense research and development projects.