U.S. President Joe Biden has pulled out of the 2024 election.
In a statement, Biden said: “I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down”. He’ll remain in office until a new President comes to power in January.
Questions about whether 81-year-old Biden was fit to lead for a second term intensified after last month’s Presidential debate.
The Democratic Party was set to confirm Biden as their official candidate at their National Convention next month. The most likely candidate is now Vice President Kamala Harris.
Joe Biden
Joe Biden is the oldest serving President in U.S history. He turns 82 in November.
He served as a Senator in the state Delaware for 36 years before he became Vice President under Barack Obama between 2009 and 2017.
If he remained in the race and was re-elected, Biden would have been 86 by the time he finished a second presidential term.
Concerns
Biden debated his rival, former President Donald Trump, on 27 June. His performance sparked concerns about his mental and physical health.
Over the ensuing weeks, Democrats and party donors questioned Biden’s ability to serve another term as President — first privately, then publicly.
Initially, Biden rejected calls to step down and make way for an alternative candidate. Over the past week, the White House confirmed Biden had COVID-19. He has been isolating at his home in Delaware, unable to campaign.
Biden drops out
Despite doubling down on his intentions to run again, Biden has now announced he will not seek re-election.
It’s the first time in modern political history a candidate has voluntarily withdrawn from the race so close to the election date.
Today, Biden said he would “focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term”.
Next steps
Ahead of a U.S. election, the parties choose a presidential candidate through a process known as the “primaries”.
Joe Biden won almost all his party’s primary races and was due to be formally confirmed as the Democrats’ nominee at the National Convention in August.
Biden said he endorses his Vice President Kamala Harris as the party’s candidate to face Donald Trump at the election on 5 November.
Other high-profile Democrats, including former President Bill Clinton, have also backed Harris.
Kamala Harris
Harris has issued a statement, praising Biden for “putting the American people and our country above everything else”.
“I am honored to have the President’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination.
“I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party – and unite our nation – to defeat Donald Trump.”
