President Joe Biden has bowed to mounting pressure from his own party, announcing late Sunday that he will withdraw from the 2024 presidential race.

The surprising decision came amid reports that Biden was stubbornly clinging to the belief that he was the best candidate to defeat former President Donald Trump.

“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your president,” Biden wrote in a statement shared on the X social network.

“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 that I step down and focus solely on fulfilling my duties as president for the remainder of my term.” Biden said. said

pic.twitter.com/RMIRvlSOYw

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 21, 2024

The 81-year-old president did not comment on growing concerns about his mental acuity that sparked after the disastrous presidential debate exposed cognitive challenges that the media have largely kept hidden from the American people .

“I will speak to the Nation later this week in more detail about my decision,” he said.

In a separate post, Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as his replacement.

“My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as president for the remainder of my term,” he said. “My first decision as the party's candidate in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as vice president. And it was the best decision I've ever made. Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be our party's nominee this yr. Democrats: It's time to unite and beat Trump. Let's do it.”

My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term. My first decision as the party's candidate in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as vice president. And it was the best… pic.twitter.com/x8DnvuImJV

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 21, 2024

“We're in uncharted waters,” Barbara Perry, a professor of presidential studies at the University of Virginia's Miller Center, told NBC News. “No president has left or died so close to the convention.”

Elon Musk, who backed Trump after last week's failed assassination attempt, offered an interesting response to the suddenly announcement

“I found out last week that he would be resigning on this exact date and time. It was common knowledge in DC. The real powers that be are discarding the old stooge in favor of one who has a better chance of fooling the public. They fear Trump because he is not a puppet,” Musk posted on X.

I learned last week that I would be resigning on that exact date and time. It was common knowledge in DC.

The powers that be are discarding the old stooge in favor of one that has a better chance of fooling the public.

They fear Trump because he is not a puppet.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 21, 2024

The chairman of the Republican National Congressional Committee, Richard Hudson, questioned whether Biden is “fit to serve the remainder of his term.”

“This is a scandal of historic proportions: Our president is incapacitated, the Democrats knew it, and they lied to the American people to cover it up,” Hudson said in a statement. “Voters will neither forgive nor forget the ultimate betrayal of their trust. Judgment day will come in November, when Americans will deliver the final punishment for the Democrats: Donald Trump in the White House and a larger Republican House majority.”

He added: “If the president is not mentally fit to campaign, he is not mentally fit to have the nuclear codes. Every Democrat in the House has to answer now: Is the president fit to serve out the rest of his term?

Senior Staff Writer
[email protected]

The longest-serving writer for BizPac Review, Tom grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a teenager. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills.

Latest messages from Tom Tillison (see everything)

We have zero tolerance for comments that contain violence, racism, profanity, profanity, doxing, or rude behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it, click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for engaging with us in a fruitful conversation.