In a surprising turn of events, President Joe Biden announced on X that he will not seek re-election in the upcoming 2024 presidential race.
A Great Honor
"It has been a great honor to serve as your president over the past years," Biden wrote. "While it was my intention to run for re-election, I believe it is in the best interest of our party and the country for me to withdraw and focus solely on fulfilling my duties as president for the remainder of my term."
Biden expressed his gratitude to Vice President Kamala Harris, praising her as an "extraordinary partner in all this work." He also thanked the American people for their faith and trust in him. Biden will address the nation later this week to further explain his decision.
In a follow-up post on X, Biden endorsed Kamala Harris as the Democratic candidate for president. "My first decision as the party's candidate in 2020 was to choose Kamala Harris as my vice president. And it has been the best decision I've made," he wrote.
Intense Pressure
Biden's withdrawal comes after intense pressure following a recent televised debate with Donald Trump. In the weeks following the debate, numerous Democratic colleagues withdrew their support for Biden. On Friday alone, 12 party members urged Biden to step down as a candidate, and on Saturday, 56 high-ranking government officials sent a letter asking him to withdraw.
The letter, according to CNN, expressed deep respect for Biden's leadership but highlighted concerns about his candidacy and the increasing likelihood of a Trump victory, which they felt would jeopardize national security and Biden's legacy.
Biden, who is 81 years old, was the oldest person to assume the presidency when he took office on January 20, 2021, at the age of 78. Despite his previous assertions that he would run for re-election, Biden has now decided to step aside.
