Biden to meet ally Pope Francis ahead of G20 summit
Biden wants to use the twin summits - G20 and UN Climate talks in Glasgow - to prove his political clout
As world leaders flock to Rome for the G20 summit, President Joe Biden kicks off a trip aimed at reasserting US international credentials, starting with a meeting Friday with Catholic ally Pope Francis.
The president left Washington after unveiling a "historic" framework for a vast social spending plan, although it remains to be seen if it can win the support of lawmakers.
After weeks of internal party feuding, and with his personal ratings slumping, Biden wants to use the twin summits in Europe this week - the G20 and UN climate talks in Glasgow - to prove his political clout.
The veteran foreign policy expert is also determined to distance himself from the unilateralism of ex-president Donald Trump, and will be seeking to soothe ruffled feathers.
Biden opens the trip on a more intimate note, though, having landed early Friday in Rome as he heads to the Vatican for what is expected to be a good-humored sit-down with Pope Francis.
He has met the head of the world's 1.3 billion Catholics three times already, but this will be their first since the 78-year-old was elected president.
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Spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Wednesday the White House expects the talks to be "warm."
Biden and the pope share a range of concerns, from poverty to climate change and the coronavirus pandemic.
The US president will subsequently meet with Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi as well as French President Emmanuel Macron for the first time since the subs row.