RIO DE JANEIRO — During the closing Group of 20 summit of his tenure, President Joe Biden found himself inadvertently absent from the customary photograph of global leaders. This oversight, attributed to a timing miscalculation, left him and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arriving late to the photo-op. By the time they made their way over, photographers had already captured the official image, with other leaders engaged in conversation afterward, having posed joyfully with their hands linked for the snapshot.

As fate would have it, this timing mishap placed Chinese President Xi Jinping prominently in the foreground among the array of leaders, who stood against a picturesque backdrop of blue skies and ocean. Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov appeared more obscured, positioned in the background.

A senior official from the Biden administration, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, explained that logistical challenges contributed to the missed moment. Despite Biden’s intention to participate in the photo, it was taken ahead of its planned schedule. Once Biden and Trudeau reached the appointed area, they could be seen standing together for a brief period, scanning the surroundings. Interestingly, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also opted not to be present for the group photograph, a staple moment at these high-profile summits.