Biden drops out of US presidential race

21 Jul, 2024 17:59 / Updated 5 months ago
The 81-year-old has pledged to see out the remainder of his term in the White House

US President Joe Biden has announced that he won’t seek re-election. He revealed his decision to quit the race in an open letter posted to X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, promising to deliver a special address on the matter later this week.

In the letter, Biden has rejected any prospects of stepping down from his post early, stating he will remain in the office until the end of his term. 

“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.

Biden also praised his Vice President Kamala Harris, who has been long-rumored to become the Democratic candidate should he step down, describing her as “an extraordinary partner in all this work.”

Shortly after announcing his withdrawal, Biden endorsed Harris as the Democratic Party nominee for the upcoming elections.

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