Biden misses G-20 family photo, White House blames ‘logistical’ issues

President Biden was noticeably absent from the traditional “family photo” at the final Group of 20 summit of his presidency on Monday. The President arrived at the event alongside Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, only to find that photographers had already finished capturing the other world leaders in their smiling poses on a riser. A senior Biden official explained that the President did not participate in the photo op due to “logistical issues.”

The official clarified that the timing of the photo session was the issue, as it took place before all the leaders had arrived. This meant that several leaders, including President Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau, missed out on being part of the group photo. The official stressed that Biden’s absence was not intentional and had nothing to do with avoiding taking pictures with other world leaders, including Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

As a result of Biden’s absence, Xi Jinping was front and center among the rows of leaders in the family photo, with Lavrov positioned in the back row. The President and Prime Minister Trudeau arrived at the designated spot for the photo, but it was too late to join the group. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also did not participate in the photo session.

Interestingly, Biden did not use the red carpet ramp typically used by other world leaders to enter the building where the summit was taking place. Instead, he took a different route, making a sharp right turn on his way to the gathering. The official explained that this decision was based on security concerns, as several leaders from countries facing high threats also opted for alternative red carpet routes.

The G-20 summit brings together leaders from the world’s largest economies to discuss strategies for combating hunger and poverty. During his remarks at the summit, President Biden called on attendees to increase investments in the World Bank, provide debt relief to struggling countries, and work towards ending conflicts that contribute to starvation, such as the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

While Biden’s absence from the family photo may have raised some eyebrows, it was attributed to logistical issues and security considerations. The President’s focus remains on addressing global challenges and working towards a more prosperous and peaceful world for all nations.