Biden Drops Out of The 2024 Presidential Race, Endorses Vice President Kamala Harris for Nomination

WASHINGTON: President Biden announced Sunday that he is dropping out of the 2024 presidential race and threw his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris. 

“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 my term,” Mr. Biden posted in a statement on social media. 

Mr. Biden said he would address the nation later this week. Mr. Biden is currently in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, as he recovers from COVID-19. 

Shortly after the announcement, he endorsed Harris for the Democratic nomination, although Mr. Biden cannot appoint a nominee. A source familiar said Mr. Biden and Harris spoke multiple times earlier Sunday ahead of his announcement. There was an emergency meeting of senior Democratic National Committee members happening Sunday. 

“My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President,” Mr. Biden posted on social media. “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 of our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this.” 

Harris issued a statement on Sunday saying she is “honored to have the President’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination.” 

“Over the past year, I have traveled across the country, talking with Americans about the clear choice in this momentous election,” Harris said. “And that is what I will continue to do in the days and weeks ahead. I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party—and unite our nation—to defeat Donald Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda. We have 107 days until Election Day. Together, we will fight. And together, we will win.”

Harris also paid tribue to Mr. Biden, calling his decision to step aside for the 2024 race a “selfless and patriotic act.”

Former President Donald Trump, who was officially nominated by the Republican Party on Thursday night, told CNN after the decision that Mr. Biden is the “worst president by far in the history of our country,” but he said that he thought if Harris is the nominee, she would be easier to beat than Mr. Biden.

By Agencies