Critics are calling out President Biden for failing to address some key issues facing the U.S. during his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping Monday at the G-20. Rather than discuss the origins of COVID-19 or fentanyl coming from China, Biden opted to restart dialogue on climate change instead.
According to a readout from the event, the two leaders also discussed economic competition, inflation and Taiwan. The "Outnumbered" panelists questioned why other serious topics were avoided.
Former State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus provided initial analysis, having attended high-level foreign meetings serving under President Trump. She began by commending the leaders for meeting for three and a half hours and praised their release of a joint statement condemning the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine.
She then noted that focusing on climate change was a "huge mistake."
"Why are we not talking about fentanyl -- the chemical precursors that go from China to Mexico -- the number one killer of young people? Why aren't we talking about the origins of COVID-19?," she asked. "Are we just going to let them get away with this?"
Fox News contributor Brian Brenberg argued Biden’s approach came off as weak.
"All I see is President Xi in full-throttle domination mode on the world stage. And I'm watching our president walk into that, and he is not in a position of strength," Brenberg told the panel.
He then argued that, despite Ortagus’ commendations, Biden did nothing to move the United States into a position of power over China.
FOX Business anchor Dagen McDowell went a step further in suggesting that President Xi treats America as inferior based on Biden’s policies.
"It's not too much to ask of the president of the United States to stand up for the surviving families of the more than a million Americans who died from COVID," she said.
McDowell argued that it’s not too late to discuss COVID origins, as Americans are still looking for answers. She called out the president, saying he gave "antipathy" to the country rather than empathy.
"Biden can't stand up for all of those families," she said.
"But he can stand up in front of the world at the top of that press conference and humble brag about the Democrats’ victory in the midterms, which is exactly what he did."
The White House did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment on why COVID-19 or its origins was not discussed between the two leaders.
Fox News' Patrick Hauf contributed to this report.
