In a surprising turn of events, U.S. President Joe Biden announced on Sunday that he is ending his campaign for reelection. This decision comes after many Democrats expressed doubts about his mental sharpness and his ability to defeat former President Donald Trump in the upcoming election. Biden has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as his successor for the Democratic nomination.
Biden, who is 81 years old, shared his decision in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter). He reassured the public that he will continue to serve as president until the end of his term in January 2025 and mentioned he will address the nation later 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.
Although his initial statement did not include an endorsement for Harris, he followed up shortly after with a message of support for her. Harris, aged 59, is set to make history as the first Black woman to run at the top of a major-party ticket in the United States.
The question remains whether other senior Democrats will challenge Harris for the nomination. While many party officials see her as the preferred candidate, it is unclear if the Democratic Party will open the field for more candidates.
Biden’s announcement comes after significant pressure from Democratic lawmakers and party officials. Concerns were heightened following his performance in a June 27 televised debate against Trump, where Biden’s occasional struggles with completing sentences drew more attention than Trump’s series of false statements. This debate performance shifted the focus onto Biden’s fitness for another term rather than Trump’s inaccuracies.
The debate performance was not the only incident that raised concerns. In a subsequent interview, Biden downplayed the worries of his fellow Democrats and the growing gap in opinion polls. He stated that he would be content losing to Trump if he knew he had “given it my all.”
Biden’s decision to step down is historic. He is the first sitting president to give up his party’s nomination for reelection since President Lyndon Johnson in March 1968. This move leaves Harris and the Democratic Party with less than four months to prepare for a campaign against Trump.
The Democratic Party now faces the challenge of uniting behind Harris or potentially finding another candidate who can step into the race. The coming weeks will be crucial as the party decides its path forward and prepares to rally behind a new leader to face the Republican challenge in the 2024 election.
