In a stunning turn of events, President Joe Biden announced Sunday that he is dropping out of the 2024 presidential race and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic Party’s new nominee. The decision follows weeks of mounting pressure from Democratic leaders and comes in the wake of a challenging debate performance that has left the party reeling.
“I have decided it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down,” Biden said in a letter posted on X, while recovering from Covid at his Delaware beach house. He plans to address the nation later this week to provide further details about his decision.
Biden’s endorsement of Harris marks a historic moment, as she is poised to become the first female, Black, and South Asian commander-in-chief if elected. “Today, I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year,” Biden declared. “Democrats—it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this.”
This unprecedented move marks the first time a sitting president has exited the race so late, and the first to do so amid concerns regarding mental acuity and health. Former President Donald Trump wasted no time in responding, asserting that Biden had never been “fit to run” or “fit to serve.”
Biden had long resisted calls to withdraw, even insisting that only divine intervention could sway him. However, following a tumultuous debate and subsequent gaffes—including mistakenly referring to Harris as “Vice President Trump”—pressure from party leaders became overwhelming. Prominent figures, including actor George Clooney and former President Barack Obama, voiced their concerns for the party’s future.
The decision to withdraw came just days after Biden tested positive for Covid, forcing him into isolation and off the campaign trail. This announcement caps a chaotic period in U.S. politics, which has seen Trump survive an assassination attempt during a July campaign rally.
Biden joins a select group of U.S. presidents who have opted to step aside after a single term, the most recent being Lyndon Johnson in 1968, a year marked by significant political upheaval. Johnson’s successor, Hubert Humphrey, ultimately lost to Richard Nixon, a fate Democrats hope to avoid with Harris at the helm.
In the weeks leading up to Biden’s announcement, the campaign had quietly conducted head-to-head surveys gauging Harris’s viability against Trump. While her initial tenure as vice president was marked by struggles to connect with voters, Harris has recently emerged as a formidable candidate, championing key issues like abortion rights.
Harris’s nomination at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on August 19 is expected to be a historic and emotional moment, both for her and for Biden, who took office in January 2021 with a promise to heal the “soul of America” after years of political division.
Despite significant achievements, including a comprehensive Covid recovery plan and renewed international alliances, Biden’s presidency has not been without challenges. Criticism over the withdrawal from Afghanistan and rising inflation have overshadowed his administration’s successes, exacerbating concerns about his age and fitness for office.
As the Democratic Party prepares for a pivotal election season, all eyes will be on Kamala Harris as she steps into the spotlight, with the hope of uniting the party and defeating Donald Trump in the upcoming November election.