A video of US President Joe Biden has surfaced in which he is seen wandering away from the leaders. Group of Seven (G7) summit in ItalyA video of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni before she was pulled back has gone viral on social media.
The clip shows the 81-year-old president losing his concentration during a skydiving demonstration on Thursday and walking away from the group of world leaders. He turned to his left and walked up to an officer packing a parachute and gave him a thumbs up.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni intervened to direct him back to the main proceedings. The two leaders then posed for photos, with Biden slowly putting on his signature aviator sunglasses.
The video went viral on social media and sparked debate, with some questioning Biden’s ability to serve another term. Others argued the video lacked context, pointing out that several leaders, including Biden, were looking toward the man packing a parachute.
White House Senior Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates defended the president, claiming the clip had been doctored. “He’s congratulating one of the divers and giving a thumbs up,” Bates said on X.
This was not the only awkward incident involving Biden at the G7 summit. Earlier, a video showed the US President awkwardly saluting Meloni before walking off the stage.
It was the latest in a series of unusual incidents for Biden, including having difficulty sitting during D-Day ceremonies in France and appearing dazed during a Juneteenth celebration on the White House lawn.