Biden Misses Group Photo at G20, Successfully Poses for Second Shot

About two months before his retirement, U.S. President Joe Biden, who missed the group photo at the last major Group of Twenty (G20) summit he attended, appeared in the second official group photo.

U.S. President Joe Biden is taking a group photo at the G20 Summit held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on the 19th (local time). Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

Reuters Yonhap News

Major foreign media including the Associated Press (AP) reported on the 19th (local time) that President Biden participated in the G20 leaders' group photo held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, standing near the center of the front row.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seated next to him, grabbed Biden’s hand as he approached, and after the photo session ended, the leaders applauded simultaneously, AP reported. The outlet noted, "No one took any risks during the second (photo session)" and added, "It could not be more starkly contrasted with the ridiculous scene when Biden missed the photo the day before."

The day before, the G20 leaders took a group photo on a stage printed with the words ‘Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty.’ However, the photo did not include President Biden and some other leaders. As the leaders naturally conversed and dispersed after the photo session, Biden walked out late from the conference hall side.

AFP Yonhap News

Considering the international stature of the United States, it is rare for a sitting president to miss a group photo at an international event due to ‘tardiness’ rather than ‘intent.’ Although the photo was not the official commemorative photo of the G20 summit but one commemorating the hunger and poverty eradication meeting, the leaders and the organizing team seemingly forgot that President Biden was absent when taking the photo. AP analyzed this as "a scene showing how much Biden’s influence has weakened as he is soon to retire after the Republican Party’s landslide victory in the U.S. presidential election."

President Biden, who will retire in January next year, was also assigned a spot at the far end of the back row in the group photo at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit held earlier in Peru, drawing critical comments from some U.S. media including Fox News, calling it an ‘awkward position.’ The White House explained that the seating arrangement was alphabetical by country. Coincidentally, Chinese President Xi Jinping was seated near the center of the front row both at that time and during the two G20 photo sessions.

A group photo taken on the 18th (local time) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where the G20 summit is being held, with some leaders, including U.S. President Joe Biden, absent due to tardiness. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

Meanwhile, in his opening speech at the G20 summit, President Biden stated that pressure on Hamas must be increased to achieve a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. He said, "I ask everyone here to put pressure on Hamas, which is refusing to agree to a ceasefire," and added, "We will continue efforts for a ceasefire agreement that ensures Israel’s security, the release of hostages, and ends the suffering of the Palestinian people." Regarding the Middle East issue, Biden’s Middle East envoy, Amos Hochstein, White House senior advisor, also visited Lebanon on the same day to discuss a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.