WASHINGTON DC: US President Joe Biden on Sunday announced to quit the 2024 US presidential race after fellow Democrats lost faith in his ability to defeat Republican nominee Donald Trump.
Biden, in a post on X, said he will remain in his role as president and commander-in-chief of the United States until his tenure ends in January 2025 and will address the American nation this week.
“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President. And 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 the remainder of my term,” Biden wrote.
By ending his reelection bid, he clears the way for Vice President Kamala Harris to run for the top slot, the first Black lady to do so in US history. However, Biden, 81, did not mention her name when he announced his move.
It is unclear whether other senior Democrats would support Harris for the party’s nomination, who was seen as the pick for many party officials or whether the party itself would open the field for nominations.
Biden bowed out after weeks of pressure that started with a disastrous debate performance raising fears over his health and ability to defeat Trump.
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The recent move makes Biden the first president in US history to pull out so late in an election race, and the first to quit because of his mental acuity and health issues.
Biden for the past three weeks has resisted calls to step down after the June 27 debate. He once said only the “Lord Almighty” could convince him to back out.
A range of voices within his own party asked him to step down, starting with donor and actor George Clooney and finishing with former president Barack Obama.
Biden’s decision to quit also caps a chaotic and tense period in the US election, with Trump having survived an assassination attempt at an election rally on July 13.
Though Kamila Harris has struggled to make an impact in her first years in the White House, she has emerged as a strong performer.
Biden assumed office in January 2021 pledging to heal the “soul of America” after four turbulent years of Trump.
