President Biden was not pictured among other world leaders in the traditional “family photo” at the Group of 20 summit, the last of his presidency, on Monday.
Biden arrived with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau after photographers had already finished with the other smiling leaders, who were standing on a riser. A senior Biden official said the president did not attend because of “logistical issues.”
“Due to logistical issues, they took the family photo before all the leaders arrived. So many leaders were not there when they were taking the photo,” the official said.
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President Biden, left, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrive late for a group photo during the G-20 summit Monday, Nov. 18, 2024, in Rio de Janeiro. (AP Photo/Eraldo Perez)
The official emphasized that Biden missed the photo because of bad timing, not because he wanted to avoid taking pictures with some of America’s top rivals, including Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov or Chinese President Xi Jinping. were
Biden’s absence leaves Xi Jinping front and center among the ranks of leaders standing against the blue sky and blue water in Rio de Janeiro.
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Leaders attending the G-20 summit pose for a group photo in Rio de Janeiro, Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Eraldo Perez)
Lavrov stood in the back row, less visible.
Biden and Trudeau arrived together at the designated photo spot, standing and staring for a while. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Maloney also did not appear in the group photo, which is one of many such summits.
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Co-leaders pose for a group photo at the G-20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, with Sugarloaf Mountain in the background, Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Eraldo Perez)
Notably, Biden did not arrive via the red carpet ramp used by other world leaders. Instead, he was seen making a sharp right turn on his way to the congregation, refusing to use the ramp that led to the building’s entrance.
The official said the president did not use the ramp “due to security concerns.”
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Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks after joining a group photo during the G-20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Eraldo Perez)
“Several high-risk leaders – countries facing high risks – did not go to the open ramp and instead took a different red carpet route,” the official said.
The G-20 summit is a gathering of leaders from the world’s largest economies, who meet to discuss efforts to combat hunger and poverty. In remarks at the summit on Monday, Biden called on those present to increase investment in the World Bank, provide debt relief to struggling countries and end conflicts around the world that include Ukraine and Gaza. including wars have led to starvation.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
