Barack Obama will strike a delicate balance over Brexit during a visit to the UK next week, where he will host a town hall with youth and offer his view “as a friend” that Britain should remain in the EU.

White House officials suggested on Thursday that the president will only wade into the contentious debate if asked, and reiterated Obama’s position that the US supports “a strong UK in the European Union”.

“He will make very clear that this is a matter the British people should decide when they head to the polls in June,” Ben Rhodes, the White House deputy national security adviser, said in a conference call with reporters.

“We believe that all of us benefit when the EU can speak with a strong and a single voice and can work with us to advance our shared interests whether on security or prosperity,” he added. “We believe that the UK has benefited from the single market that is good for the British economy and that, in turn, is good for the United States economy.”