President Joe Biden was scheduled to travel to Italy from January 9 to 12. In fact, everything indicated that he would leave for Rome just after the funeral of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter.
But the current President cancelled his visit at the last minute to supervise the forest fires in Los Angeles. It was to be his last trip as U.S. President.
The White House announced on December 19 that Biden would meet in Italy with the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, and the Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni.
A visit to the Pope on January 10 was also on his agenda. If it had taken place, it would have been Biden’s fifth meeting with Pope Francis.
Officially, as a state visit to Italy, Biden only met with the Pope in 2021. But they also met in 2016, when the President traveled to the Vatican for a meeting on regenerative medicine.
Their first meeting overall took place during Pope Francis' visit to the United States in 2015, when Biden was Vice President. Shortly before this meeting, Biden’s son had died.
In fact, the last time Biden and the Pope saw each other was at the G7 Summit in Bari in June 2024. Biden recalled that meeting years ago.
It made such a big impact on my family when my son died, how he [the Pope] came and talked to us about it in Philadelphia…
Biden is just days away from stepping down as America's leader. After giving up his campaign, and with Donald Trump's victory, the 46th President of the United States will leave the White House on January 20.
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TR: GS
