Biden Drops Reelection Bid: Harris Poised to Lead Democratic Ticket Against Trump

U.S. President Joe Biden has withdrawn from the 2024 presidential race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as his replacement. This unprecedented decision has stirred the Democratic Party, while Republicans, including Donald Trump, challenge their rivals' preparedness. Harris aims to unify the party and lead a spirited campaign against Trump.

U.S. President Joe Biden dropped his faltering reelection bid on Sunday, amid intensifying opposition within his own Democratic Party, and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to replace him as the party's candidate against Republican Donald Trump. Biden, 81, in a post on X, said he will remain in his role as president and commander-in-chief until his term ends in January 2025 and will address the nation this week. He has not been seen in public since testing positive for COVID-19 last week and is isolating at his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

'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. Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison said the American people will hear from the party on next steps and the path forward for the nomination process soon. It was the first time in more than a half-century that an incumbent U.S. president gave up his party's nomination.

If officially nominated, Harris, 59, would become the first Black woman to run to lead a major-party ticket in U.S. history. A former attorney general of California and former U.S. senator, she ran unsuccessfully for president against Biden in 2020. 'My intention is to earn and win this nomination,' Harris said in a statement. 'I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party — and unite our nation — to defeat Donald Trump.'