During the G7 summit in Italy, President Joe Biden had a series of awkward moments that have since become a topic of discussion. On Thursday, upon his arrival, the President was seen awkwardly saluting Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni after meeting her on stage.
In a video capturing the interaction, Biden is seen shuffling slowly towards the stage to greet Meloni. After exchanging a hug and a brief conversation, Biden raises his hand to his forehead in a salute before slowly walking off the stage.
Later, another video showed Biden appearing to wander away from a group of world leaders while they posed for a photograph. The 81-year-old, was seen smiling and giving an enthusiastic thumbs up to someone off-camera, though no one was visible in that direction.
Meloni quickly stepped in to redirect Biden's attention back to the group for the photograph. Biden then shuffled back to join the leaders.
These incidents add to a growing list of public gaffes that have been used by rivals to question Biden's suitability as a presidential candidate given his advanced age. In February, Biden confused French President Emmanuel Macron’s name with that of former leader Francois Mitterrand, who passed away nearly three decades ago. In another mix-up, he mistakenly referred to Vice President Kamala Harris as "President Kamala Harris."
This series of incidents occurred just days after Biden was mocked by Republicans for remaining virtually motionless during a musical performance at the White House. While Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, were seen dancing and laughing throughout the performance, Biden's gaze was fixed as he seemed frozen.
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