U.S. President Joe Biden announced on Sunday that he would end his reelection campaign after prominent Democrats expressed doubts about his mental acuity and ability to defeat Donald Trump, leaving the presidential race in uncharted territory.
Biden, in a post on X, stated that he will continue in his role as president and commander-in-chief until his term ends in January 2025 and will address the nation this week.
“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.
By withdrawing his reelection bid, Biden clears the way for Vice President Kamala Harris to run at the top of the ticket, potentially becoming the first Black woman to do so in the country’s history.
Biden, 81, did not specify when he decided to end his campaign.
It remains uncertain whether other senior Democrats will challenge Harris for the party’s nomination. Harris was widely considered the frontrunner by many party officials, though it is unclear if the party will open the field for new nominations.
Biden’s decision follows a wave of public and private pressure from Democratic lawmakers and party officials to exit the race after his poorly received performance in a televised debate last month against Republican rival Donald Trump.
