Video: Joe Biden 'wanders off' at G7 Summit, Italian PM Meloni pulls him back
US President Joe Biden, currently in Italy for the Group of Seven (G7) summit, was captured on video appearing to wander away from a gathering of prominent leaders from the G7 bloc. Biden is seen turning to his right and walking away from the group, prompting Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to reach out and guide him back.
FollowA video of US President Joe Biden seemingly wandering away from leaders at the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Italy, before being pulled back by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has gone viral on social media.
The video captures the 81-year-old President appearing to lose concentration and stray from the gathering of international leaders on Thursday while participating in a skydiving exercise. He turned left and walked up to a parachute-packing officer, giving him the thumbs up.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni intervened to guide him back to the main proceedings. The two leaders then posed for a photo-op, with Biden slowly putting on his signature aviator sunglasses.
Many people shared the video on social media, sparking discussion and casting doubt on Biden's eligibility for reelection. Others countered that the footage is context-free, pointing out that Biden and other leaders were staring at the man with the parachute.
Many on social media expressed their concerns about Biden’s behavior. “This is what was caught on camera. Can you imagine what else he did right in front of world leaders? Such an embarrassment,” one user shared.
“I don’t think there’s any chance he makes it to the election, much less another 4 years. The Dems are in a bad spot, and they can blame no one but themselves,” another user wrote.
White House Senior Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates defended the president, claiming the clip was distorted. "He's saying congratulations to one of the divers and giving a thumbs up," Bates said on X.
Biden had several strange incidents during the G7 meeting in addition to this one. The US President was shown in an earlier video clumsily thanking Meloni before leaving the platform.
It was the latest in a string of unusual incidents for Biden, including difficulty sitting during a D-Day ceremony in France and appearing dazed during a Juneteenth celebration on the White House lawn.
