Washington, D.C. – In a surprising turn of events which should not seem so shocking, U.S. President Joe Biden announced on Sunday that he is ending his re-election campaign.
The decision comes amidst growing concerns within the Democratic Party about his mental acuity and ability to secure a victory against potential Republican candidate Donald Trump.
Biden, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), expressed his intention to continue serving as president until the end of his term in January 2025 and indicated he will address the nation 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 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,” Biden wrote.
This pivotal decision clears the path for Vice President Kamala Harris to become the Democratic candidate for president, marking her as the first Black woman to potentially lead a major party’s ticket in U.S. history. Although Biden, 81, did not mention Harris in his announcement, he immediately afterward, saying that choosing her as his Vice President was his “best decision ever” endorsed her as Democratic candidate for President.
The Democratic Party now faces the task of rallying behind Harris and strategizing for the upcoming election, as the race enters an unprecedented phase without the incumbent president seeking re-election.
