US President Barack Obama has called the three Americans who overpowered a gunman on a Paris-bound train and congratulated them on their “extraordinary bravery,” the White House says.

Spencer Stone, Aleksander Skarlatos and Anthony Sadler tackled, disarmed and subdued the assailant on Friday after he fired shots and burst into their railroad car with an assault rifle. Stone, who is a member of the US Air Force, was badly cut in the struggle.

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Obama on Saturday called the three “to commend and congratulate them for their courage and quick action aboard their Paris-bound train last night,” White House spokesman Eric Schultz said.

“The president expressed his gratitude to these three individuals for their heroic actions forestalling an even greater tragedy,” Schultz added.

“The president wished airman Stone a full and speedy recovery, and expressed how proud all Americans are of their extraordinary bravery.”

The three are childhood friends who were on a European trip together after Skarlatos’ recent deployment to Afghanistan as a member of the Oregon National Guard.

Meanwhile French President Francois Hollande offered his “heartfelt thanks” to Obama for the “exemplary conduct” shown by the three, the Elysee said.

Their actions helped prevent “an extremely serious” incident, Hollande’s office said in a statement.

The two presidents, speaking by phone late on Saturday afternoon, had “renewed their determination to work together to fight against violence and terrorism on all fronts,” it added.

Hollande will greet the train heroes at the Elysee Palace on Monday morning, a source close to his office said.