RIO DE JANEIRO — President Joe Biden inadvertently was a missing man in the traditional photo of world leaders at the final Group of 20 summit of his presidency Monday, a photo-shoot fail that U.S. officials attributed to timing.
Photo-shoot fail: Biden, Trudeau miss traditional photo with world leaders at G20
President Joe Biden inadvertently was a missing man in the traditional photo of world leaders at the final Group of 20 summit of his presidency Monday, a photo-shoot fail that U.S. officials attributed to timing.
By AAMER MADHANI
November 18, 2024 at 10:32PM
Instead, Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau strolled up after photographers had already taken the official picture, as other world leaders milled about chatting after having smiled and raised linked hands for the photo.
The timing left Chinese President Xi Jinping front and center among the rows of leaders posed against blue skies and blue water in Rio de Janeiro.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stood, less visible, in a back row.
A senior Biden administration official, who was not authorized to comment publicly, said Biden and other leaders missed the photo because of ''logistical issues.'' Biden had intended to be part of the photo, but it occurred earlier than scheduled.
Biden and Trudeau arrived together at the designated spot for the photo, standing and looking about for a time. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also did not join in the group photo, a set piece of such summits.
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AAMER MADHANI
The Associated PressThe summit of the Group of 20 leading economies in Rio de Janeiro produced a joint declaration Monday that, while not totally endorsed by one of the group's members, succeeded in addressing most topics host Brazil had prioritized addressing: both ongoing major wars, a global pact to fight hunger, taxation of the world's wealthiest people and changes to global governance.