U.S. President Joe Biden announced the end of his reelection bid on Sunday following concerns from within the Democratic party regarding his mental sharpness and capability to defeat Donald Trump. However, he refrained from endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as his successor at this time.
Biden, aged 81, shared in a statement on X that he intends to continue serving as president and commander-in-chief until the conclusion of his term in January 2025. He also mentioned plans to deliver a national address later 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.
His decision could pave the way for Harris to become the first Black woman to run at the top of the ticket in the country’s history. However, Biden made no mention of her in his announcement.
Biden’s unprecedented decision, making him the first sitting president to relinquish his party’s nomination for re-election since President Lyndon Johnson in March 1968, means that his successor has less than four months to conduct a campaign.