In a stunning political development, President Joe Biden has announced his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race.
The decision follows a contentious debate with former President Donald Trump, which raised concerns about Biden’s fitness for office just months before the election.
Pressure had been mounting from Democratic allies for Biden to step aside after his performance in the June 27 debate. The 81-year-old president struggled, often giving incoherent responses and failing to effectively challenge Trump’s falsehoods.
“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 in a letter posted to his X account.
Biden, currently at his Delaware beach house after a COVID-19 diagnosis, plans to address the nation later this week to explain his decision in more detail. The White House confirmed the authenticity of the letter, but Biden did not immediately endorse Vice President Kamala Harris, who is now considered the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination at the August convention in Chicago.
This unprecedented move leaves the Democratic Party scrambling to find a new candidate capable of taking on Trump in what is viewed as a highly consequential election. With the Democratic National Convention scheduled for August 19-22, the party faces the daunting task of uniting behind a new nominee and convincing voters in a very short time frame.
Biden’s withdrawal marks a sudden end to his long political career, as doubts about his ability to serve another term had been growing among donors, lawmakers, and even some aides. Despite winning the majority of delegates in the primaries, his poor debate performance led to widespread calls for him to step down.
Vice President Harris, 59, emerges as the likely successor, partly due to her ability to access Biden’s campaign funds under federal finance rules. However, Biden’s decision not to explicitly endorse her suggests that the party’s internal struggles may continue up to the convention.
The campaign for the White House has already seen significant turbulence, including an attempted assassination of Trump at a Pennsylvania rally. Biden’s decision adds another layer of complexity to an already volatile political landscape.
Biden’s presidency, which began with high hopes of navigating the country through a pandemic recovery and passing significant bipartisan legislation, has been overshadowed by concerns over his age and mental acuity. Despite these challenges, he had insisted he was up for the task of another term, repeatedly urging voters to “watch me.”
The president’s motivation to run was deeply tied to his opposition to Trump, whose comments and actions, particularly following the 2017 “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville and the January 6 Capitol insurrection, had deeply offended him.
Biden’s withdrawal now forces the Democrats to regroup and present a viable alternative to Trump in a race that could define the future of American politics.
