Updated: US President Joe Biden Drops Reelection Bid, Endorses Kamala Harris

President Joe Biden announced on Sunday that he is withdrawing from the 2024 presidential race, shaking up the Democratic landscape just weeks before their convention. Biden declared his decision on social media, emphasizing his commitment to fulfilling his current term.

“While it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as president for my term,” Biden stated. He plans to address the nation later this week to elaborate on his decision.

In a move to unite the party, Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the Democratic nomination. “My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President, and it’s been the best decision I’ve made. 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 posted.

Former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, responded to the announcement, criticizing Biden’s presidency but expressing confidence in his ability to defeat Harris in the upcoming election.

Biden’s unprecedented withdrawal as a sitting president this late in the campaign cycle has raised significant concerns about the Democratic Party’s ability to regroup before the November election. This decision comes in the wake of Biden’s widely criticized debate performance against Trump, which intensified concerns about his health and effectiveness as a candidate.

In the aftermath of the debate, Democratic leaders and lawmakers expressed increasing doubts about Biden’s capacity to win against Trump and lead the country. Despite his efforts to reassure his party, the mounting pressure from top Democrats eventually led to his decision to step aside.

Biden’s decision marks the first time a sitting president eligible for reelection has declined to run since Lyndon Johnson in 1968. The Democratic National Committee now faces the challenge of selecting a new nominee, a task complicated by the absence of a primary process at this stage.

With the Democratic National Convention scheduled to begin on August 19 in Chicago, the party must quickly rally behind a new candidate. The DNC had already planned a virtual roll call between August 1-7 to ensure ballot access in key states, though it’s uncertain how Biden’s withdrawal will impact these plans.