President Joe Biden has engaged in an “uncomfortable” embrace during the second day of the G7 summit in Italy, adding to his recent series of blunders.
As the 87-year-old pontiff was wheeled into the room of world leaders to take part in a discussion of issues surrounding AI, energy and the Africa-Mediterranean region, Biden shook his hand and leaned in for an intimate forehead-to-forehead gesture.
Pope Francis, the first pope to attend a G7 summit to discuss world events, appeared to look uncomfortable with Biden’s – America’s second Roman Catholic president – embrace.
The 81-year-old president later met privately with Pope Francis on Friday. A senior administration official said that they were likely to discuss the war in Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East and climate change, according to CNN.
According to insiders at the G7, Biden’s performance is the “worst” it has ever been, noting that he is “losing focus”.
Biden was seen wandering off at the summit and saluting the Italian Prime Minister. As pictures were set to be taken, the president was seen walking away from the shoot, beginning to talk to someone and offering them a thumbs up, before being ushered back by Giorgia Meloni.
He later missed a dinner for leaders at the summit.
The White House press secretary Andrew Bates claimed Biden was congratulating a parachute diver on the floor who was collecting his things.
Rishi Sunak added: “As far as I’m aware, he went over to talk to some of the parachutes jumpers to say thank you or hello to them individually.”
