US President Joe Biden concluded his re-election campaign on Sunday. His decision came after fellow Democrats questioned his mental sharpness and capability to defeat Donald Trump, plunging the presidential race into uncharted territory.
Biden announced on X that he will continue as president and commander-in-chief until his term concludes in January 2025, and he plans to address the nation this week. “It has been the greatest honour of my life to serve as your President. And while I have intended to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to step aside and focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term,” Biden stated.
His withdrawal from the race potentially paves the way for Vice President Kamala Harris to lead the ticket, marking her as the first Black woman to do so in the nation’s history.
At 81, Biden did not mention Harris when announcing his decision.
It remains unclear whether other senior Democrats will challenge Harris for the party’s nomination, broadly viewed as the favoured candidate among many party officials, or if the party will open the field to additional nominations.
Biden’s announcement follows intense public and private pressure from Democratic lawmakers and party officials, urging him to withdraw from the race after his notably poor performance in a televised debate last month against Republican rival Donald Trump.
