‘He’s behind the palm tree!’

Rio de Janeiro – President Biden missed a group photo World leaders at G20 summit on Monday – A shocked pool reporter can be heard telling colleagues that the Commander-in-Chief was “behind the palm tree!”

Biden, 81, skipped the family photo after discussions ahead of time that he would do so to avoid being seen smiling with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. During the ongoing Ukraine war,

The White House later blamed “logistical issues” and said it was simply a matter of bad timing that Biden missed the photo.

“Oh my God…they took it!” An American journalist was heard speaking on a pooled video feed as other leaders stood smiling with folded hands without the retired commander in chief.

“Yeah, he’s right there…he’s behind the palm tree right now!” The unknown reporter alerted his colleagues.

Biden spokespeople later insisted that G20 organizers did not wait long enough for him to arrive, along with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who also missed a photo, as did Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. .

“Because of logistical issues, they took the photo before all the leaders arrived,” an unnamed senior US official told the press pool.

Biden earns more strange headlines after being demoted Back corner of APEC summit group photo in Lima, Peru on Saturday – as Chinese President Xi Jinping was front and center with the host country’s President Dina Bolluarte.

The White House expressed outrage at the widespread coverage of that photo’s optics, and insisted it was simply a matter of standing in alphabetical order – with then-President Donald Trump appearing at the center of two group photos at the APEC conference in Vietnam in 2017. despite .

While in Peru, Biden experienced several other unimpressive optical events involving Xi, including the much more elaborate welcome he received when he inaugurated a huge new port on the Peruvian coast.

Biden had to travel to Xi’s hotel for the bilateral meeting, with the White House blaming an alleged venue change between the hosts.

Biden was then forced to walk to the Lima airport amid spectators who stood in the streets waving Chinese flags.

Photos of the outgoing president have emerged as major stories, as he has refused to engage with any press questions about other matters during his visit – leading to angry journalists shouting in the street asking why he was hiding. and even held placards that read “Ukraine?” and “She?”

Biden has not answered any questions from the media since the November 5 election, in which Vice President Kamala Harris lost to former President Donald Trump, who will take office on January 20.