U.S. President Joe Biden announced on Sunday that he will not seek re-election. Under increasing pressure from his party members, he is backing Vice President Kamala Harris to be the Democratic candidate to face off against Republican Donald Trump in the November election.
At 81, Biden is the oldest president in U.S. history. He stated he will continue to fulfill his presidential duties until his term ends on January 20, 2025, and he will address the nation this week.
Biden has not made any public appearances since testing positive for COVID-19 last week, and he is currently isolating at his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
“While I originally intended to seek re-election, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to step aside and focus on completing my remaining term responsibilities,” Biden wrote on X.
This decision significantly reshapes the landscape of the presidential race, which has seen several major shifts over the past month. On June 27, Biden's poor performance in a debate prompted his party members to urge him to withdraw. Subsequently, on July 13, a gunman attempted to assassinate 78-year-old former President Trump. Last week, Trump announced his choice of 39-year-old hardline Republican Senator J.D. Vance as his vice-presidential running mate.
Polls show that Americans are generally dissatisfied with a rematch between Biden and Trump. Shortly after Biden's announcement, Trump told CNN, “Harris will be easier to beat than Biden.”
