Joe Biden Withdraws from 2024 Presidential Race, Endorses Kamala Harris

Marrakech – In a shocking announcement, US President Joe Biden announced today that he will not seek reelection in 2024, bowing to intense pressure from fellow Democrats who have been questioning his ability to defeat Republican nominee Donald Trump in November.

In an official letter posted on his social media, the 81-year-old president wrote, “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.”

Later in a follow-up post, Biden offered his endorsement for Vice President Kamala Harris, to take his spot on the Democratic ticket.

“My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best decision I’ve made,” the president posted on X.

“Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this.”

Biden’s withdrawal comes just four months before Americans gather for the polls on November 5, and less than a month before the Democratic National Convention.

Concerns about Biden’s mental acuity and electability surged after a poor performance in his first debate against Trump on June 27. In the following weeks, dozens of Democratic members of Congress publicly called on Biden to drop out. Major donors and influential figures like former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also privately urged him to step aside.

Biden initially remained defiant, shoving off questions about his future in a July 5 interview. But as his support continued to wane, he signaled more openness to reevaluating his candidacy, especially if his health became an issue. The turnaround accelerated after a July 13 assassination attempt on Trump briefly paused the defections.

In his withdrawal statement, Biden thanked Vice President Kamala Harris, calling her an “extraordinary partner.” Although Biden has endorsed Harris, she has not been offered the ticket by delegates of the Democratic Party. However, this does not stop Harris from officially announcing her decision to enter the race and choose a running mate.

Biden’s decision marks an ignominious end to a storied five-decade political career that saw him go from being one of the youngest US senators to the oldest president in history, with stints as vice president and two previous White House bids in between. The Delaware native has said he will speak in more detail about his move later this week.