President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential race on Sunday, July 21, in a historic move — and promptly endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris.
Biden, 81, announced the news in a post shared on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Over the past three and a half years, we have made great progress as a Nation. Today, America has the strongest economy in the world. We’ve made historic investments in rebuilding our Nation, in lowering prescription drug costs for seniors, and in expanding affordable health care to a record number of Americans,” Biden began. “We’ve provided critically needed care to a million veterans exposed to toxic substances. Passed the first gun safety law in 30 years. Appointed the first African American woman to the Supreme Court. And passed the most significant climate legislation in the history of the world.”
Noting that “America has never been better positioned to lead than we are today,” Biden continued, “I know none of this could have been done without you, the American people. Together, we overcame a once in a century pandemic and the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. We’ve protected and preserved our Democracy, And we’ve revitalized and strengthened our alliances around the world.”
“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,” he added.
Biden then said he will “speak to the Nation later this week in more detail about my decision,” noting , “For now, let me express my deepest gratitude to all those who have worked so hard to see me reelected.”
“I want to thank Vice President Kamala Harris for being an extraordinary partner in all this work. And let me express my heartfelt appreciation to the American people for the faith and trust you have placed in me,” he concluded. “I believe today what I always have: that there is nothing America can’t do – when we do it together. We just have to remember we are the United States of America.”
Of Harris, 59, Biden subsequently shared on X, “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. Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee for our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this.”
As the oldest president in U.S. history, Biden has routinely heard concerns about his ability to serve an additional four years, which would have made him 86 at the time he left office.
His halting performance at the first 2024 presidential debate — where he struggled to fend off Donald Trump‘s lies and articulate his White House accomplishments — heightened voters’ doubts about his cognitive health and immediately sparked questions about whether the Democratic Party should reconsider its presidential ticket.
The Biden-Harris campaign responded by filling the president’s schedule with rallies and interviews in an attempt to squash any fears, but subsequent polling continued to suggest that Democrats would not defeat Trump with Biden on the ticket.
On July 17, an AP-NORC survey revealed that nearly two-thirds of Democrats and 77% of independents wanted Biden to withdraw from the race.
A mounting pressure campaign from members of Biden’s own party, made worse by ultimatums from wealthy Democratic donors, ultimately forced his hand.
