Rabbi Marvin Hier, the dean and founder of the Simon Wiesenthal Centre in Los Angeles, is to recite a specially-written prayer at Donald Trump’s inauguration as president of the United States.

According to reports, the rabbi will also offer a reading and give Mr Trump and his Vice-President Mike Pence a blessing at the ceremony in Washington on January 20.

A New Yorker, Rabbi Hier, 77, founded the Simon Wiesenthal Centre, named after the renowned Nazi-hunter, in 1977. Newsweek once named him the “most influential rabbi in America”.

He has been awarded two Ocars for documentaries made by the centre.