Biden relegated to back of APEC family photo with Xi Jinping in front
President Biden found himself in an awkward position during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) family photo on Saturday, standing in the back corner while other prominent world leaders took center stage. Chinese Premier Xi Jinping was placed in the front and center of the photo, next to Peruvian president Dina Boluarte, who hosted the summit in Lima.
In the front row, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese were seen alongside Xi. Despite his placement in the back corner, pictures show Biden smiling and interacting with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra of Thailand during the family photo session. Throughout the weekend, Biden engaged in closed-door meetings with various leaders, including Boluarte and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.
The positioning of Biden in the photo raised eyebrows, as American leaders typically occupy a more central spot. Last year, Biden was front and center in the 2023 APEC family photo hosted in San Francisco, with Trudeau and Xi on his right. In contrast, former President Trump was towards the front and center in the 2017 photo, alongside Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
The APEC summit took place nearly two weeks after the 2024 presidential election, where Vice President Harris lost to Trump in a surprising upset. Biden met with the Republican leader to discuss the transition process, expressing his commitment to ensuring a smooth transition. Trump reciprocated the sentiment, assuring that the transition would be as seamless as possible.
Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser and Brooke Singman contributed to this report. Andrea Margolis, a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business, can be reached for story tips at andrea.margolis@fox.com.
