Quick Hit

At the recent G7 Summit, President Joe Biden's actions drew attention and critique from various international news outlets, with incidents of apparent confusion sparking concerns over his capability on the global stage.

Key Details

• Corriere Della Sera Incident: Italy's Corriere Della Sera highlighted a moment where Biden seemingly wandered away during a skydiving show, only to be redirected by Italian PM Giorgia Meloni.
• The Sun's Analysis: British tabloid The Sun cited diplomatic sources claiming Biden's focus was the worst they've seen, noting moments of clarity interspersed with significant lapses in concentration.
• Global Times' Critique: China’s Global Times used the opportunity to predict the decline of the G7's relevance, pointing to internal divisions and a lack of effective leadership amidst global challenges.

Diving Deeper

The G7 Summit in Italy not only served as a platform for discussing pressing international issues like the Russian invasion of Ukraine but also turned into a spectacle of personal scrutiny for U.S. President Joe Biden. Foreign news outlets, including Italy’s Corriere Della Sera, Britain's The Sun, and China's Global Times, took turns casting doubt on Biden's fitness for office, both mentally and physically, amidst his key international appearances.

Corriere Della Sera reported on an episode that went viral: a distracted Biden being corralled by PM Meloni during a public event. "A video in which the G7 leaders are observing the paratroopers’ performance of the Folgore Brigade and Biden steps away for a moment, recalled by Giorgia Meloni, who touches his arm, has gone viral. Critics describe it as a moment in which he “gets distracted” and “wanders," the outlet said. 

This portrayal fed into a broader narrative, emphasized by The Sun, which quoted insiders describing Biden as having "lost focus," suggesting a decline in his cognitive sharpness at critical moments. "It’s the worst he has ever been," one source said.

Meanwhile, the Global Times leveraged these observations to critique the effectiveness and unity of the G7, hinting at a declining Western influence and the potential rise of alternative global groups like BRICS. The publication described the summit as having a "funeral vibe," indicative of a coalition struggling to maintain its coherence and relevance.

Politico also said that “this week’s gathering of G7 leaders in Italy looks more like the last supper than a display of Western power,” calling the summit a meeting of "6 lame ducks and Georgia Meloni."

These reports resonate with a segment of the American public already skeptical of Biden's leadership, as evidenced by various polls questioning his mental and physical fitness.