Still, officials on Mr. Lew's trip emphasized that Europe was the United States' largest trading partner and that the financial ties between the economies were deep.
But because his trips emphasize the loftier side of his ambitions for the continent — focusing on ideals, not the complex realities that often undermine them — his itinerary options are somewhat limited.
Mr. Obama hoped that the trip would emphasize economic partnership between the United States and Africa, but concerns about the failing health of former President Nelson Mandela of South Africa have dominated the news media's attention.
The trip will emphasize American Christians' steadfast support for Israel, said Perkins of the Family Research Council.
The host used President Donald Trump's European trip to emphasize how it is everyone's responsibility to have knowledge of the world.
Compared to the control group, those who'd been in the meditation group reported greater increases in self-nature connection as well as more spontaneous recollections of trip memories emphasizing nature (rather than other aspects of the trip, such as social interactions).
Gibbs appeared on the show with Romney spokesman Kevin Madden, who defended Romney's overseas trip and emphasized his Sunday meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"The purpose of this trip is to emphasize how committed we are to keep the plant operating in Edison," Mr. Spadoro said, adding before his meeting that he was "a little frustrated at the lack of information that is coming from Ford".
On a trip billed to emphasize forward-looking US-Asia engagement and collaboration, there is one notable exception.
Although best known as a theologian and professor, Benedict XVI has visited shrines to the Virgin Mary on 8 of his 10 trips abroad, emphasizing the more devotional and less intellectual aspects of Catholicism.
