US President Joe Biden announced on Sunday that he is ending his reelection campaign due to growing concerns from fellow Democrats about his mental acuity and his ability to defeat Donald Trump. Biden, who is 81, stated that he will continue to serve as President until his term ends in January 2025 and will address the nation this week.
Biden initially did not endorse Vice President Kamala Harris in his announcement, but later expressed his support for her as his successor. Harris, 59, would be the first Black woman to lead a major-party ticket in US history. Trump, the Republican candidate for November’s election, suggested that Harris would be easier to defeat.
Biden reportedly changed his mind about dropping out of the race after initially deciding to continue. He communicated his decision to his senior team on Sunday afternoon and announced it on social media shortly thereafter.
The decision follows significant pressure from Democratic lawmakers and officials, exacerbated by Biden’s poor performance in a televised debate against Trump on June 27, where his age-related issues became a focal point. Biden’s recent COVID-19 diagnosis and a wave of calls from Democratic representatives also contributed to his decision.
Biden’s withdrawal, the first by a sitting president since Lyndon Johnson in 1968, leaves Harris as the presumptive nominee with less than four months to campaign. The Democratic Party will need to decide whether other senior Democrats will challenge Harris or if the nomination process will remain open.
Harris’s potential candidacy represents a major shift for the Democratic Party, given that no woman has ever been elected President and only one Black president has been elected in over two centuries of US history. Biden’s exit also sets up a direct contest between Harris and Trump, who is facing multiple legal challenges, including upcoming sentencing in a New York case related to hush money payments.
Despite initially securing the Democratic nomination easily, Biden faced growing dissatisfaction within his party, particularly among younger and more progressive voters, due to his stance on Israel’s military actions in Gaza and perceived insufficient support for Black voters.
Biden’s delegates from the primary race will enter the convention “uncommitted,” which could lead to a contested nomination process. Harris, who was tasked with rallying support from diverse voter groups, will now lead the Democratic ticket in the upcoming election.
