Biden endorses Kamala Harris as successor
Joe Biden has announced that he is endorsing vice-president Kamala Harris as his successor for the Democratic presidential nomination:
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 very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best… pic.twitter.com/x8DnvuImJV
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 21, 2024
Key events
Trump says Biden ‘was not fit to run for president, and is certainly not fit to serve’
Donald Trump had this to say about Joe Biden’s decision to exit the race, as posted on Truth Social:
Crooked Joe Biden was not fit to run for President, and is certainly not fit to serve – And never was! He only attained the position of President by lies, Fake News, and not leaving his Basement. All those around him, including his Doctor and the Media, knew that he wasn’t capable of being President, and he wasn’t – And now, look what he’s done to our Country, with millions of people coming across our Border, totally unchecked and unvetted, many from prisons, mental institutions, and record numbers of terrorists. We will suffer greatly because of his presidency, but we will remedy the damage he has done very quickly. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!
Trump tells CNN he thinks Harris will be easier to beat
CNN got on the phone with Donald Trump not long after Joe Biden bowed out of the presidential race, who told the network he thinks Kamala Harris will be easier to beat:
In a phone call with CNN minutes after Biden announced his exit from the 2024 race, former President Trump responded, “He is the worst president in the history of our country. He goes down as the single worst president by far in the history of our country.” While it’s unclear who…
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) July 21, 2024
Republican lawmakers call on Biden to resign after he ends re-election campaign
Leading Republicans in the House of Representatives have called on Joe Biden to resign the presidency immediately, following his decision to end his bid for re-election.
Here’s House Republican conference chair Elise Stefanik:
If Joe Biden can’t run for re-election, he is unable and unfit to serve as President of the United States. He must immediately resign.
The Democrat Party is in absolute free fall for their blatantly corrupt and desperate attempt to cover up the fact that Joe Biden is unfit for office.
Every elected Democrat in America owns Joe Biden’s failed and feckless record causing the border crisis, Bidenflation, and chaos and weakness around the world.
President Trump will win this November to save America.
And Kevin Hern, chair of the Republican Study Committee, which is influential in crafting conservative policy in the House:
If Joe Biden is unfit to be the Democrat nominee for president, he’s unfit to be president for the rest of his term.
For the good of the country, Joe Biden should resign immediately.
— Congressman Kevin Hern (@repkevinhern) July 21, 2024
In his letter announcing the end of his re-election campaign, Biden said he would serve out the rest of his term.
Biden endorses Kamala Harris as successor
Joe Biden has announced that he is endorsing vice-president Kamala Harris as his successor for the Democratic presidential nomination:
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 very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best… pic.twitter.com/x8DnvuImJV
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 21, 2024
Senate Democratic leader Schumer says Biden ‘put his country, his party, and our future first’
The Senate’s Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, who was reported to have recently expressed concerns to Joe Biden about his ability to win re-election, has this to say about the president’s decision to end his campaign:
Joe Biden has not only been a great president and a great legislative leader but he is a truly amazing human being. His decision of course was not easy, but he once again put his country, his party, and our future first.
Joe, today shows you are a true patriot and great American.
Naomi Biden described her grandfather as “the most effective president of our lifetime”, after he announced his decision to withdraw from the presidential race:
I’m nothing but proud today of my Pop, our President, Joe Biden, who has served our country with every bit of his soul and with unmatched distinction. Not only has he been—and will continue to be—the most effective president of our lifetime, but he has likely already cemented…
— Naomi Biden (@NaomiBiden) July 21, 2024
Reacting to her husband’s decision to end his bid for re-election, first lady Jill Biden simply tweeted out a “heart” emoji:
She was undoubtedly involved in Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw.
Biden does not endorse successor as he announces pullout from presidential race
In his letter announcing that he would end his bid to her a second term, Joe Biden thanked Kamala Harris, but did not endorse the vice-president or any other Democrat as his replacement.
The president called Harris “an extraordinary partner in all this work”, and noted he would address the nation “later this week in more detail about my decision”.
Here is Biden’s full statement:
President Biden has just announced that he will no longer 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 said Sunday afternoon in a post on Twitter/X.
Biden’s announcement comes as a mounting chorus of Democrats have called for him to step aside following a disastrous debate against Republican rival Donald Trump.
The Guardian will provide breaking updates here as we learn more about Biden’s decision.
Joe Biden withdraws from 2024 presidential race
Joe Biden will not stay in the 2024 presidential race as the Democratic candidate, he announced on Saturday.
The announcement comes several weeks after the US president’s disastrous debate performance against Donald Trump, which turned whispers about his age and fitness into a roar.
This is breaking news, and we’ll cover all the latest updates here.
