Taormina, Italy (CNN) President Donald Trump on Saturday concluded a nine-day swing through the Middle East and Europe that marked his first foreign travel as president -- a significant milestone for a head of state also considered the leader of the free world.

Trump's first foray on the international stage saw him engage in a series of powerhouse diplomatic sessions in which he touched on the most pressing global issues: from terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to the state of US alliances and the global economy.

He returns to Washington now to find the US capital much the same as he left it -- engulfed in the latest revelations about the federal investigation into his campaign's contacts with Russia and with questions about the future of his presidency still swirling.

What's less clear is how Trump will confront those issues with the fresh perspective of his foreign travels, if at all.

Here are 5 takeaways of his first foreign trip:

Trump can't escape the Russia controversy, no matter how far he travels

In the week leading up to Trump's first foreign trip, the White House was overwhelmed with a series of bombshell reports that raised more questions about Trump and his campaign associates' ties to Russia.

The trip, aides hoped at the time, would give them a chance to reset the narrative, shifting the conversation away from talk of Russian ties and federal investigations and toward a series of carefully crafted speeches and images that would define Trump's first official overseas expedition.

But as Air Force One lifted off, it became clear that wouldn't be the case.

The trip did produce a series of headlines that allowed the White House to reclaim some control of the narrative, but the drumbeat of allegations back home continued to dog Trump abroad.

Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump board Air Force One on Saturday, May, 27, 2017, at Naval Air Station Sigonella in Italy. They were headed back to the United States after a nine-day trip to the Middle East and Europe. Hide Caption 1 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip President Trump greets people on May 27, after speaking to US troops at Naval Air Station Sigonella. Hide Caption 2 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip President Trump addresses US troops and their families on May 27, at the Sigonella Naval Air Station. Hide Caption 3 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip President Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive on May 27, to address US military personnel and families at Naval Air Station Sigonella. Hide Caption 4 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Leaders of the G-7 and some African nations pose for a photo on May 27, on the second day of the G-7 summit in Taormina, Italy. Hide Caption 5 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip President Trump gestures on May 27, during a G-7 session. Hide Caption 6 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip President Donald Trump and his wife, Melania, arrive for a concert of the La Scala Philharmonic Orchestra while in Taormina, Italy, on Friday, May 26. The Trumps are in Italy for a two-day G-7 summit. Hide Caption 7 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Trump and other leaders pose for a group photo at the G-7 summit on May 26. From left are European Council President Donald Tusk, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Trump, Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, French President Emmanuel Macron, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, British Prime Minister Theresa May and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. Hide Caption 8 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Trump and Trudeau walk together after the group photo. Hide Caption 9 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip G-7 leaders congregate during a walking tour on May 26. Hide Caption 10 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Trump embraces new French President Emmanuel Macron on May 26. Hide Caption 11 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip The leaders watch a French air squadron. Hide Caption 12 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Melania Trump arrives at the City Hall in Catania, Italy, on May 26. She was wearing a $51,500 Dolce & Gabbana jacket as she met with other spouses of G-7 leaders. Hide Caption 13 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Trump shakes hands with Macron in Brussels, Belgium, on Thursday, May 25. They were attending a NATO summit as the alliance officially opened a new $1 billion headquarters. Hide Caption 14 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Trump stands with other world leaders during a NATO photo shoot on May 25. Hide Caption 15 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Trump speaks with British Prime Minister Theresa May during a working dinner at NATO headquarters. Hide Caption 16 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Trump stands next to German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the NATO summit. Hide Caption 17 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Melania Trump visits the Magritte Museum in Brussels with Amelie Derbaudrenghien, partner of Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel. Hide Caption 18 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip A girl takes a selfie with Melania Trump at a children's hospital in Brussels on May 25. Hide Caption 19 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Trump meets with Macron in Brussels. Hide Caption 20 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Trump walks with European Council President Donald Tusk, center, and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, right, after they met at the European Council in Brussels on May 25. Hide Caption 21 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Trump, third from right, attends a meeting with leaders at the European Council. Hide Caption 22 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Trump speaks with King Philippe of Belgium as Queen Mathilde and Melania Trump chat during a reception at the Royal Palace in Brussels on Wednesday, May 24. Hide Caption 23 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Tusk talks to Trump as he welcomes him in Brussels. Hide Caption 24 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Trump stands with Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel while the national anthem is played during Trump's arrival in Belgium on May 24. Hide Caption 25 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Protesters in Brussels demonstrate with effigies of Trump and Michel on May 24. Hide Caption 26 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Trump shakes hands with Italian President Sergio Mattarella in Rome on May 24. Hide Caption 27 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Pope Francis stands with Trump and his family during a private audience at the Vatican on May 24. Joining the President, from left, are Trump's son-in-law, White House senior adviser Jared Kushner; Trump's daughter and adviser Ivanka Trump; and first lady Melania Trump. Hide Caption 28 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Trump and the Pope exchange gifts. Trump presented the Pope with a first-edition set of Martin Luther King's writings. The Pope gave Trump an olive-tree medal that the Pope said symbolizes peace. Hide Caption 29 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Trump and his wife look at the ceilings of the Sistine Chapel. Hide Caption 30 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Trump speaks to reporters in Rome during a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, right, on May 24. Hide Caption 31 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip The first lady visits a pediatric hospital in Vatican City on May 24. Hide Caption 32 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Melania Trump arrives at the Vatican on May 24. With Vatican protocol in mind, she wore a black veil and long-sleeved black dress draped down to her calf. Ivanka Trump wore a similar outfit with a larger veil. Hide Caption 33 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wave at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem on Tuesday, May 23. Trump gave a speech there, reaffirming his country's commitment to Israel while also holding up Judaism's historical ties to the United States. Hide Caption 34 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip People take pictures of the message Trump wrote at Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem, on May 23. Hide Caption 35 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip With the help of US Marines, Trump and his wife lay a wreath at Yad Vashem. Hide Caption 36 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Trump meets with Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the Palestinian Authority, on May 23. Trump met with Israeli leaders the day before and said he believes both sides "are ready to reach for peace." Hide Caption 37 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip A Palestinian security official takes position before the arrival of Trump's convoy in Bethlehem, West Bank. Hide Caption 38 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Israeli and American activists hold signs Monday, May 22, during an anti-Trump protest next to the US embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel. Hide Caption 39 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Melania Trump and Israeli first lady Sara Netanyahu speak to children during their visit to the Hadassah hospital in Jerusalem on May 22. Hide Caption 40 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Trump talks to reporters as he meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on May 22. Trump sought to rebut claims that he damaged Israeli intelligence capabilities by revealing highly classified information to Russian operatives earlier this month. "Just so you understand, I never mentioned the word or the name Israel," Trump told reporters as he began the second leg of his first foreign tour. Hide Caption 41 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Trump touches the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest prayer site, while in Jerusalem on May 22. Trump became the first sitting US president to visit the wall. Hide Caption 42 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Trump stands in the Western Wall plaza. To his left, in black, is Shmuel Rabinowitz, the rabbi of the Western Wall. Hide Caption 43 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip First lady Melania Trump, in white, visits the Western Wall. At far left is Ivanka Trump. Hide Caption 44 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip The President and first lady plant a tree in Jerusalem with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin. Hide Caption 45 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Trump is welcomed by Netanyahu upon arriving in Tel Aviv on May 22. Trump started his trip with two days in Saudi Arabia. Hide Caption 46 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip On the way to Tel Aviv, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson speaks with reporters aboard Air Force One. Hide Caption 47 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip While in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Trump attends the inauguration ceremony for the Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology. Joining him here are Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, center, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, left. Hide Caption 48 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Trump speaks in Riyadh during the Arab Islamic American Summit on Sunday, May 21. Trump looked to make it clear that the United States is not at war with Islam. "This is not a battle between different faiths, different sects or different civilizations," he said. "This is a battle between barbaric criminals who seek to obliterate human life, and decent people of all religions who seek to protect it. This is a battle between good and evil." Hide Caption 49 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Trump sits at the summit, which included leaders from 55 Muslim-majority countries. He urged them to do more to eradicate terrorist groups that claim the mantle of Islam. "We can only overcome this evil if the forces of good are united and strong and if everyone in this room does their fair share and fulfills their part of the burden," Trump said. "Muslim-majority countries must take the lead in stamping out radicalization." Hide Caption 50 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Trump poses with other leaders at the Arab Islamic American Summit. Hide Caption 51 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Saudi King Salman shakes hands with Trump on May 21. Trump is the first US president to start his first foreign trip in the Middle East. Hide Caption 52 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Trump meets with other heads of state in Riyadh on May 21. Hide Caption 53 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Trump speaks with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Gen. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Hide Caption 54 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip First lady Melania Trump chats with children during a visit to the American International School in Riyadh on May 21. Hide Caption 55 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip While in Riyadh, President Trump meets with Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa on May 21. Hide Caption 56 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip President Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi share a laugh during a meeting on May 21. El-Sisi complimented Trump on his "unique personality that is capable of doing the impossible." Trump exchanged pleasantries back, praising el-Sisi's shoes. Hide Caption 57 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Trump is handed a sword during a welcoming ceremony at Riyadh's Murabba Palace on Saturday, May 20. Hide Caption 58 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Trump sits with members of his staff and Cabinet before a meeting with Saudi King Salman on May 20. Hide Caption 59 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Trump and King Salman take part in a signing ceremony at the Saudi Royal Court in Riyadh on May 20. The two leaders oversaw the signing of a defense deal worth nearly $110 billion. Hide Caption 60 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip The Trumps look at a display of modern art at the Saudi Royal Court in Riyadh. Hide Caption 61 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip King Salman presents Trump with a gilded necklace and medal, the country's highest honor. The distinction also was bestowed upon Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush. Hide Caption 62 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip The first lady chats with Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Nayef at the medal ceremony on May 20. Hide Caption 63 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Ivanka Trump attends the medal ceremony. Hide Caption 64 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Trump meets with King Salman after arriving in Riyadh on May 20. Hide Caption 65 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Soldiers on horseback carry the US and Saudi flags as they escort Trump to the Saudi Royal Court in Riyadh. Hide Caption 66 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip Trump is welcomed by King Salman after arriving at the King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. Hide Caption 67 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip The Trumps take part in the welcome ceremony. Hide Caption 68 of 69 Photos: President Trump's first foreign trip The President and first lady wave from Air Force One after landing in Riyadh. Hide Caption 69 of 69

While the first half of the week saw leaders in Saudi Arabia and Israel greet Trump with open arms, Trump's arrival in Europe resurfaced questions about the US President's position toward Russia and drew attention again to the federal investigation in Washington.

Trump failed to reassure European leaders about his commitment to combating Russian aggression with his remarks at NATO headquarters in Brussels and hours later, as he landed in Sicily for the G7, news broke that the FBI was now looking into his son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner's contacts with Russian officials.

The incessant nature of the Russia storyline kept Trump far away from the probing questions of reporters traveling with him on the foreign trip, with the President declining to hold a news conference, a highly unusual move for a president traveling abroad.

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Terrorism still Trump's core issue

Trump's visit to Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, gave Trump a chance to square US government policy with the vitriol of his campaign on Islam and terrorism.

In a major speech on his second day in Riyadh to leaders of more than 50 Muslim countries, the President attempted to tone down his rhetoric and took his first major step toward attempting to unite the Muslim world in common cause against terrorism.

Rather than reiterating calls for banning Muslims from the United States or arguing as he did on the campaign that "Islam hates us," Trump sought to make clear that the US is not at war with Islam, which he praised as "one of the world's great faiths."

Senior Trump administration officials said that the change in rhetoric wasn't a softening of his stance, instead pointing to Trump's direct call for Muslim leaders to bear more responsibility for the plight of Islamist extremism.

Trump indeed urged Muslim leaders to "honestly (confront) the crisis of Islamic extremism and the Islamists and Islamic terror of all kinds" and redouble their counterterrorism efforts, calling on them to carry their "part of the burden" of fighting terrorism.

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'America First' at work

Trump's speech in Riyadh also marked one of several attempts by the US President to implement his "America First" campaign rhetoric, particularly his calls for other countries to spend more money on defense and take more active security roles to reduce dependence on the US military.

In Saudi Arabia, Trump called on the leaders of Muslim countries to shoulder more of the weight of the fight against terrorist groups like ISIS -- matching his calls on the campaign for Muslim countries to shoulder more of the financial and military burden of the fight against the terrorist group in Iraq and Syria.

Trump also touted the $110 billion arms deal he inked with Saudi Arabia as enabling the kingdom to shoulder more of its security needs.

And in Brussels, Trump chided assembled leaders of NATO allies for not spending enough on defense costs and urged them to spend at least 2% of their GDP on defense, as outlined in the alliance's charter.

Those calls had mixed results. In Saudi Arabia, Arab leaders praised Trump's calls for a fiercer fight against terrorism -- and welcomed the quickly vanishing human rights conditions on arms deals -- but made no firm commitments about increasing their military effort in the fight against ISIS.

And in Brussels, NATO leaders chafed at Trump's lecture, which did not acknowledge member states' recent increases in military spending nor did it include a reaffirmed US commitment to the alliance's mutual defense pledge, in light of Trump's disparaging comments about the alliance during his campaign.

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US alliance with Gulf states reaffirmed -- and human rights take a backseat

Trump's trip to Saudi Arabia and his meetings with a slew of Middle Eastern leaders served to firmly mark the return to a foreign policy centered on alliances with Saudi Arabia and other Sunni states and away from a rapprochement with Iran.

To the delight of his hosts, Trump railed against Iran in Saudi Arabia and promised to work closely with partners in the region to combat the cloak of Iranian influence spreading throughout the Middle East. He even signaled that the Iranian threat could be a boon for Middle East peace, repeatedly signaling that Arab countries might soon align more publicly with Israel, which also feels threatened by Iran.

But in his lofty praise of the Saudi royal family, through his numerous meetings with Arab authoritarians and in his speech to the assembled leaders, Trump did not raise human rights issues, instead promising "we are not here to lecture" -- delivering a realpolitik view of US alliances.

A senior White House official insisted that Trump did raise human rights issues, particularly women's rights, in his meetings with Saudi leaders and others. But the lack of a public voice on the issue signaled a change in US policy, which has preserved partnerships while also speaking vocally about the need for human rights reforms.

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Trump still finding footing on the world stage

Trump's first venture abroad as president also revealed that he is still very much finding his footing on the world stage. On a trip where he spoke far less than he was seen, the President's body language often spoke for him.

In Saudi Arabia, the first stop on the tour, Trump was at ease, admiring the king's welcome of a spectacle the actual king of Saudi Arabia had put on for him. In Israel, he asked the Israeli prime minister at one point "what's the protocol?" before standing for a photo. In both countries, where the hosts showered Trump with flattery and warmth, Trump played the role of gracious guest.

But his visit grew more complicated as he arrived in Europe, where he joined heads of state -- many wary of his presidency -- in groups and where the welcome was far more muted.

There, he berated members of the NATO alliance and aggressively jostled the prime minister of miniscule Montenegro to get to the front of a photo line, straightening his jacket with emphasis as he landed on his mark.

Trump's traditional power dynamics were once again at play in a forceful arm-jerking handshake with French President Emmanuel Macron at the G7 -- who hours earlier had gritted his teeth to deliver his own stiff handshake. In group photos, Trump towered above most leaders, and tilted his chin upward in pride as he walked among his counterparts.

But the confidence Trump projected in public during the trip may have belied the pressure he faced from his counterparts in private.

Trump often found himself the odd one out on major issues in his meetings with world leaders at the European forums. At the G7 in particular, his counterparts sought to sway him on climate change, free trade, Russia and other issues.

Gary Cohn, the director of the National Economic Council, said Trump wanted to hear out his counterparts' arguments for why he should stay in the landmark Paris climate accord.

"He feels much more knowledgeable on the topic today," Cohn said as the first day of G7 meetings wrapped. "He came here to learn. He came here to get smarter. He came to get world leaders' views."