After coming together in striking suspected chemical weapons sites in Syria, the U.S. and its European allies, France and Britain, may be far less unified in finding longer-term solutions for the conflict-torn country.
The first differences were on display hours after the strikes, as the White House appeared to rebut suggestions by French President Emmanuel Macron that he convinced his U.S. counterpart to remain in Syria and agree to limited military action.
Then came Macron's own re-messaging. The two countries were in line, he told reporters Monday, on how they viewed both their military and peace-building engagements.
Still, the Syria strategy, as outlined by Macron in recent days, seems far from being in lockstep with Washington. In particular, it demands engaging key Trump administration nemesis Iran, among other regional actors, to help resolve the tangled conflict.
And while the French president aims to position himself as Washington's go-to leader in Europe, in matters ranging from climate change to trade, experts question whether he can deliver tangible results.
Those questions will be front and center next week, when Macron and U.S. President Donald Trump hold talks in Washington.