US Vice President Mike Pence is delaying a controversial visit to the Middle East, the White House said Monday, amid a crunch tax vote on Capitol Hill and protests in the region.

The trip to Egypt and Israel, due to begin Tuesday, has been pushed back to mid-January, allowing Pence to remain in Washington in case he needs to break a tie vote in the Senate over President Donald Trump's tax reforms.

"The tax vote is still in very good shape, but we don't want to take any chances whatsoever," said a senior administration official