‘America First’ or America alone? In debut on world stage, acting Pentagon chief must answer for Trump.

In a six-day trip that took him to four cities on two continents, acting defense secretary Patrick Shanahan came face to face with one consistent reality last week: the discord generated by President Trump and his “America First” agenda.

For the first time since becoming Pentagon chief last month, Shanahan was asked to answer for the uncertainties produced by the president’s often unpopular foreign policy.

The former Boeing executive, who took over in January after the abrupt resignation of his predecessor, Jim Mattis, deferred to the president’s decisions and suggested, in high-level talks, steps that U.S. allies can take to adjust.

At the conclusion of the trip, Shanahan told reporters that he had anticipated a “more standoffish” reception.

“The pushback was we need these issues addressed, these questions answered,” he said. “There were no promises or guarantees, but there was support.”

Read the full article and more in The Washington Post.