First Thing the pandemic has broken Europe's trust in American leadership

Don’t already get First Thing in your inbox? Sign up hereGood morning,The US health secretary has warned that the “window is closing” on America’s chances of containing the coronavirus, as the country’s number of confirmed cases surpassed 2.5 million and outbreaks spiralled out of control in states across the Sun Belt. “People as individuals have to act responsibly,” Alex Azar told NBC on Sunday. “We need to social distance, we need to wear our face coverings.”The subject of face masks remains fraught, however, with an angry minority of Americans claiming the modest cloth rectangles represent an unconscionable attack on their individual liberties. Meanwhile the surge in cases has led to a fresh shortage of masks and other PPE among US medics. A survey of opinion across nine EU countries has found Europeans’ perception of the US deteriorating because of the pandemic.