U.S. President Joe Biden has begun his final four months in office after announcing he will not seek re-election, bowing to pressure from within and outside the Democratic Party. This late development has given a significant boost to Republican nominee Donald Trump, who is poised to return to the White House. Vice President Kamala Harris is among those being considered to replace Biden as the Democratic nominee.
Biden, 81, made the announcement on Sunday via a post on X, stating he would continue to serve as president and commander-in-chief until his term concludes in January 2025. He is expected to address the nation later this week.
“It has been the greatest honour of my life to serve as your President. And while it has been my intention to seek re-election, 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.
While Biden’s decision potentially clears the path for Harris to run as the Democratic nominee, making her the first Black woman to do so in U.S. history, he did not explicitly endorse her in his announcement. It remains uncertain whether other senior Democrats will challenge Harris for the nomination or if the party will open the field to additional candidates.
Biden’s announcement follows mounting public and private pressure from Democratic lawmakers and party officials after his poor performance in a June 27 televised debate against Trump. Concerns about Biden’s mental acuity were amplified during the debate, overshadowing Trump’s numerous false statements. Further concerns arose following Biden’s interview where he dismissed Democratic worries and showed a widening gap in opinion polls, and his gaffes at a NATO summit where he mistakenly invoked Russian President Vladimir Putin’s name instead of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and referred to Harris as “Vice President Trump.”
Just four days prior to his announcement, Biden was diagnosed with COVID-19 for the third time, leading to the cancellation of a campaign trip to Las Vegas. Over 10% of congressional Democrats had publicly called for him to withdraw from the race.
Biden’s decision marks a historic moment as he becomes the first sitting president to forgo his party’s nomination for re-election since President Lyndon Johnson in March 1968. This move leaves the Democratic Party with less than four months to prepare for the upcoming election.
Reactions from the U.S. and around the world have been mixed. Some Americans express relief and hope for a more dynamic candidate, while others remain concerned about the party’s unity. Internationally, allies and adversaries alike are watching closely to see how this shift will impact U.S. foreign policy and global relations.
*Source: Reuters*
