President Joe Biden made the historic decision Sunday to drop out of the 2024 presidential race, less than four months after being declared the Democratic Party’s presumptive nominee and days after a dismal debate showing.
Biden, 81, announced Sunday he will no longer seek another four years in office after his physical and mental acuity were called into question.
“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President. And while it has been my intention to seek re-election, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term,” Biden wrote in a letter posted to social media.
The president said he would address the nation later in the week about his decision. He did not immediately endorse vice president Harris or any other candidate to be the party’s nominee in November.
“For now let me express my deepest gratitude to all those who have worked so hard to see me re-elected,” Biden wrote. “I want to thank Vice President Kamala Harris for being an extraordinary partner in all this work. And let me express my heartfelt appreciation to the American people for the faith and trust you have placed in me.”
Of note: In another post on X, Biden said: “Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this,” he says in a post on X.
