President Joe Biden missed the traditional "family photo" with world leaders at the Group of 20 summit on Monday, marking a notable absence in his final appearance at the gathering of the world's most powerful economies. The White House cited "logistical issues" as the reason behind Biden's absence, emphasizing that it was not a deliberate move to avoid posing with international rivals.
The G20 family photo, a customary ritual showcasing leaders in a symbolic gesture of global unity, was already underway in Rio de Janeiro when Biden arrived with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. By then, the group of leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, had already been arranged on the riser. A senior Biden administration official clarified the situation, stating, "Due to logistical issues, they took the family photo early before all the leaders had arrived. So a number of leaders weren't actually there when they took the photo."
The timing issue reportedly left Biden and Trudeau standing at the designated photo spot, looking for their place. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also missed the photograph, further underscoring the disarray.
Contrary to speculation that Biden intentionally missed the photo opportunity to avoid standing near Russia's Lavrov or other contentious figures, the White House dismissed such notions. The official insisted it was a matter of logistics and not a political maneuver. Biden's absence left Xi Jinping prominently centered among the group of leaders posing against the picturesque Rio de Janeiro backdrop.
Adding to the intrigue, Biden did not arrive via the red carpet ramp used by most leaders. Instead, he veered off and took a separate path, a move attributed to "security concerns." According to a senior official, "Several leaders from high-threat countries did not take the open ramp and instead took a different red carpet route."
Despite the photo mishap, Biden participated fully in summit sessions. On Monday, he addressed his fellow leaders, urging collective action to enhance investments in the World Bank, alleviate debt burdens on struggling nations, and end conflicts contributing to global hunger, such as those in Ukraine and Gaza. "As you know, this is my last G20 summit," Biden remarked. "We've made progress together, but I urge you to keep going -- and I'm sure you will, regardless of my urging or not."
Biden's remarks reflect a president winding down his term, with attention shifting to President-elect Donald Trump's impending administration. "We have a system, fundamentally, that's predicated on one president at a time," said Jon Finer, deputy national security adviser. "President Biden is that president. He will be handing off power in January."
The G20, which represents around 85% of global GDP, more than 75% of international trade, and two-thirds of the world's population, has evolved since its founding in 1999 as a response to the Asian financial crisis. Once a forum for finance ministers, it has become a high-level gathering of heads of state, focusing on a wide range of global issues.
