Joe Biden drops out of 2024 presidential race

President Joe Biden is dropping out of the 2024 presidential election but will remain in office to complete his first term.

The 81-year-old Democrat made the announcement in a statement on X just before 2 p.m. on Sunday.

"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," said Biden.

Biden said he would speak about the decision in more detail later this week.

Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee in a follow-up post on X.

"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," said Biden.

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Full statement from Joseph R. Biden Jr. on 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 healthy 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. Weve 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 o 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 m 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 faiths 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.

A change of heart

As late as Friday, Biden campaign officials were insisting that the president was not dropping out of the race even as they acknowledged support slipping among Democrats. Three Democrats in the U.S. Senate, where Biden spent most of his political career, called for him to step down.

NBC News reported that Biden's family had been discussing an exit strategy. His campaign denied the report.

A half dozen Democratic members of Congress on Friday joined a growing list of party officials calling for Biden to step down following a disastrous debate performance, worries about his age and his latest bout with COVID-19 just as the Republicans wrapped up their convention where they nominated former President Donald Trump, who survived an assassination attempt days earlier. Republican enthusiasm for Trump remains unbothered by a criminal conviction this year and a record of two impeachments.

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At 81, Biden is one of the oldest presidents and would be 86 at the end of a second term. Trump would be 82 at the end of a second term.

A recent poll finds that most Democrats believe Vice President Kamala Harris would make a good president.

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Joe Biden through the years

A look at Joe Biden this century, from the halls of Congress where he served as senator from Delaware, to his time in the White House, first as vice president and then as president himself.

Gallery Credit: Getty Images

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