- Biden inquired about the ground rules of a short photo session with the Italian prime minister
- Meloni earlier led Biden to a photo-op and directed him to the ceremony
An emboldened Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni continued her role as host and showrunner of the G7 in Italy – this time answering a question from President Joe Biden about the ground rules for their first formal meeting of the day.
“They just take pictures?” Biden asked Meloni in front of a group of reporters Friday morning as the two sat in front of American and Italian flags at the start of a one-on-one meeting.
Meloni nodded, indicating the pair would not make any comments during the event. At that point, the president’s handlers asked a group of reporters to leave.
Meloni will host the heads of the group’s leading industrial countries as well as others, including the presidents of Brazil and Turkey, plus Pope Francis.
Biden’s second full day of meetings comes after he chided reporters Thursday evening for asking off-topic questions during a joint news conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Biden told reporters to “stick to the rules” after being asked about a plan to broker a ceasefire in Gaza. Another reporter had asked if his son Hunter had been found guilty of three gun crimes. It came during a summit where White House aides have limited his exposure to the press — allowing reporters into one of his meetings on Thursday instead of two as planned, and structuring a press conference with Zelensky with two questions for each side.
Meloni also shows that she is attuned to PR and photographic elements of the event, and not just the dense communiqués that leaders and their aides craft.
A joint event with world leaders will feature a skydiving demonstration, Meloni, on Thursday walked over and escorted Biden, 81, after he walked away from a photo opportunity.
President Joe Biden will meet Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Friday for a one-on-one meeting at the G7. The president asked for reassurance that photographers were ‘just taking pictures’ – confirming that leaders would not comment or ask questions
Some leaders were still clapping when a blue-clad paratrooper loosened some of his equipment as Biden began to slowly walk away toward another paratrooper.
The president declined and gave a thumbs up to another military paratrooper who was on the ground gathering his equipment.
Meloni then walked over to the president to lead him back to the shot that showed all the leaders together, while other leaders stood huddled together.
Meloni also accompanied Biden, as well as other leaders, as she welcomed them all individually to the luxurious location in Italy’s Apulia region. She gestured with her arms to direct them towards a ‘family photo’ where all the leaders were gathered.
She was reverent as she welcomed Pope Francis to the summit held Friday morning at the luxurious Borgo Eganzia on Italy’s Adriatic coast.
A senior government official acknowledged Meloni’s election win on Friday. She has actively mentored the leaders of the G7
Meloni is attuned to photo ops such as those involving skydivers
Meloni gave stage directions not only to Biden, but also to other leaders after greeting them on Thursday
Footage from the summit shows the Italian region of Puglia and the Allied unit, as well as a few more awkward encounters. Meloni also greeted British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and other leaders
During the G7 summit, photos were taken between substantive meetings
Meloni’s party won seats in the European Parliament elections
Meloni also accompanied Pope Francis when he arrived at the G7
When the pope landed in his helicopter, she greeted him and walked to a golf course that Francis would take to events. After sitting in the front seat, she offered it to him and then switched to the back seat so the two could sit together.
Meloni’s hand strength is not only determined by her status as head of the host country. She also performed strongly in European Parliament elections, which boosted the Conservatives.
The administration is aware of the tipping influence. “Prime Minister Maloney’s party did quite well in coming first in Italy,” a senior government official told reporters traveling with the president on Friday. “And so there will now be a reset of the top European institutions, including the European Parliament, the European Commission, the European Council, all of that will get underway in the coming days and weeks.” The official said this was among the topics that would be discussed on Friday, despite tensions over abortion and efforts to iron out details of aid to Ukraine.