US president Joe Biden pulls out of presidential race, endorses Kamala Harris

U.S. President Joe Biden has pulled out of the presidential race on Sunday, saying it is "in the best interest of my party and the country". 

It comes after months of speculation about his age and fitness to serve another four years - amid a series of high-profile gaffes and a disastrous debate performance and pressure from fellow Democrats who lost faith in his mental acuity and ability to beat Donald Trump, leaving the presidential race in uncharted territory.

Joe Biden drops out of the US presidential race, endorses Kamala Harris.

— Olomoinfo (@Olomoinfo) July 21, 2024

Biden, in a post on X, said he will remain in his role as president and commander-in-chief until his term ends in January 2025 and will address the nation this week.

In a letter addressed to "my fellow Americans", Mr Biden said it had been the "greatest honour of my life to serve as your president".

"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."

He has endorsed Mrs Harris as the Democratic nominee, saying: "Democrats - it's time to come together and beat Trump."

Text of Biden letter in which he announced stepping aside as candidate

JOSEPH R. BIDEN, JR. July 21, 2024

My Fellow Americans,

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. 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. America has never been better positioned to lead than we are today.

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.

I will speak to the Nation later this week in more detail about my decision.

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.

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.

“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.

He has thrown his support behind Kamala Harris, urging Democrats to donate to her campaign as he pulled out.

By dropping his reelection bid, he clears the way for Vice President Kamala Harris to run at the top of the ticket, the first Black woman to do so in the country’s history.

Biden, 81, did not mention her when he announced his move.

It was unclear whether other senior Democrats would challenge Harris for the party’s nomination, who was widely seen as the pick for many party officials – or whether the party itself would choose to open the field for nominations.

Donald Trump’s campaign team has lashed into Vice President Kamala Harris after Biden’s endorsement, saying she would be “even worse” than the outgoing leader.

“Harris will be even worse for the people of our nation than Joe Biden. Harris has been the Enabler in Chief for Crooked Joe this entire time. They own each other’s records, and there is no distance between the two,” the campaign said in a statement.