Emboldened Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni continued in her role as host and show-runner of the G7 in Italy – this time fielding a question from President Joe Biden about the ground rules for their first formal meeting of the day.
‘They’re just taking pictures?’ Biden asked Meloni in front of a pool of reporters Friday morning as the two were seated in front of U.S. and Italian flags at the start of a one-on-one meeting.
Meloni nodded, signifying the pair would not be making remarks at the event. At that point, the president’s handlers asked a pool of reporters to leave.
Meloni is hosting both the heads of leading industrial nations in the group and others including the presidents of Brazil and Turkey, plus Pope Francis.
Biden’s second full day of meetings comes after he chided reporters Thursday night for asking off-topic questions at a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Biden told reporters to ‘play by the rules’ after he was asked about a plan to bring about a cease fire in Gaza. Another reporter had asked about his son Hunter being found guilty on three felony gun charges. It came during a summit where White House aides have limited his exposure to the press – allowing reporters into one of his meetings Thursday rather than two as planned, and structuring a press conference alongside Zelensky with two questions for each side.
Meloni is also demonstrating that she is attuned to PR and photographic elements of the event, not just the dense communiques that leaders and their aides are fashioning.
During a joint event with world leaders to view a parachuting demonstration on Thursday, Meloni walked over and guided Biden, 81, after he strolled away from a photo opportunity.
President Joe Biden meets met Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni for a one-on-one meeting at the G7 on Friday. The president asked for reassurance that photographers were ‘just taking pictures’ – confirming that the leaders would not make remarks or take questions
Some of the leaders were still clapping as one blue-clad parachutist unhooked some of his gear, when Biden started slowly walking away toward another skydiver.
The president waived and gave a thumbs up to another military parachutist who was on the ground gathering his gear.
Meloni then walked over to the president to guide him back to the shot which would show all the leaders together, as other leaders huddled around.
Meloni also guided Biden, as well as other leaders, when she welcomed each of them individually to the luxurious site in Italy’s Apulia region. She gesticulated with her arms to send them in the direction of a ‘family photo’ where all the leaders gathered.
She was deferential when welcoming Pope Francis to the summit being held at the luxury Borgo Eganzia on Italy’s Adriatic coast Friday morning.
A senior administration official acknowledged Meloni’s electoral gains Friday. She has been taking an active hand guiding leaders at the G7
Meloni has been attuned to photo-ops like one with parachute jumpers
Meloni gave stage directions not just to Biden but to other leaders after she greeted them Thursday
Images of the summit have featured Italy’s Puglia region and allied unity, as well as a few more awkward encounters. Meloni also greeted British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and other leaders
The G7 summit has featured photo-ops in between substantive meetings
Meloni’s party gained seats in elections for the European parliament
Meloni also guided Pope Francis t as he arrived at the G7
When the pope landed in his helicopter, she greeted him and walked toward a golf court that would ferry Francis to events. After first sitting in the forward seat, she offered it to him, then switched to the back so the two could be seated together.
Meloni’s strength of hand isn’t determined just by her status of head of the host nation. She also performed strongly in European parliamentary elections that boosted conservatives.
The administration is aware of the tipping influence. ‘Prime Minister Maloney’s party did rather well coming in first in Italy,’ a senior administration official told reporters traveling with the president Friday. ‘And so now there will 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 that was one of the topics that would come up Friday, despite tension points over abortion and efforts to nail down details on backing Ukraine.