Joe Biden flashed by 'large, naked Scottish man' on his way to COP26

2 November 2021, 22:43 | Updated: 3 November 2021, 05:55

Joe Biden was reportedly flashed on his way to Glasgow
Joe Biden was reportedly flashed on his way to Glasgow. Picture: Alamy

By Will Taylor

Joe Biden was flashed by a "large, naked Scottish man" as he travelled to COP26 climate talks, American media says.

The US President is in Scotland along with more than 100 world leaders as he aims to thrash out a deal to limit global temperature rises and get states to go net zero by 2050.

He has been travelling from a hotel in Edinburgh to Glasgow for the talks, and while en route he reportedly encountered an unclothed man who wanted pictures of the motorcade.

A US media pool report said: "At one point when we were still on smaller country roads, a large, naked Scottish man stood in his front window taking a picture of the motorcade with his phone."

It is unclear why the man had failed to dress up while taking getting photographs of the convoy.

One news outlet suggested he could have forgotten to get dressed in an excited rush to see Mr Biden.

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The strange encounter does not seem to have derailed the president at the climate talks, which today saw leaders agree to stop and reverse deforestation and slash methane emissions.

Mr Biden chided Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin for failing to attend the talks.

"We showed up. By showing up, I think we had a profound impact on the way, I think, the rest of the world is looking at the United States and its leadership," he said.

"I think it has been a mistake, quite frankly, with respect to China, not showing up.

"They have the lost the ability to influence people around the world and here in Cop. The same way I would argue with Russia."

Much has been made of the president's motorcade, which numbered around 85 vehicles when he met the Pope in Rome amid the G20 summit there.

Mr Biden was also criticised when he was filmed shutting his eyes for around 20 seconds as delegates talked at the start of COP26.

An aide was seen coming over to talk to him, before the president leaned forward and applauded the end of a speech.