According to one report, a recent photo of the Group of Seven leaders with Pope Francis has become noteworthy for capturing simmering frustrations, the positioning of unpopular figures in the back and smiles that may conceal underlying challenges back home.
In the photo, the forced grins of France’s president Emmanuel Macron and U.K. prime minister Rishi Sunak, along with U.S. President Joe Biden’s body language, are clearly visible, reported Bloomberg.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on the other hand, is positioned prominently center stage and away from Biden and Canada’s Justin Trudeau, amid controversy surrounding the assassination of a Sikh nationalist in North America, the outlet noted.
Biden’s Actions Scrutinized
Photo aside, Biden has drawn attention for a series of unconventional actions at this week’s G7 summit, such as awkwardly saluting Italian Prime Minister and summit host Giorgia Meloni upon greeting her and wandering away from his fellow leaders during a skydiving demonstration, reported the New York Post.
Meloni had to guide Biden back to the group when he suddenly lost focus, according to the newspaper.
In fact, Biden started off on the wrong foot with Meloni before Thursday morning’s summit by keeping her waiting for 20 minutes, the New York Post added.
When the president finally arrived, Meloni humorously chided him, saying, “You shouldn’t leave a woman waiting like this.”
On Friday, in response to the scrutiny over Biden’s actions, White House Senior Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates highlighted the president’s “successful leadership overseas in advancing our national security.”
Bates also countered reports from media outlets, claiming they misrepresented the video of Biden walking away from the skydiving demonstration. He clarified that the president was actually giving “a thumbs up” and congratulating another skydiver off-camera.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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