Biden drops out of US presidential race

The 81-year-old has pledged to see out the remainder of his term in the White House

US President Joe Biden on Sunday said he was withdrawing from the election in November and is no no longer seeking re-election. The president announced the decision in an open letter posted to X (formerly Twitter), promising to deliver a special address on the matter later on.

In the letter, Biden has rejected any prospects of stepping down from his post early, stating he will remain in the office until the end of his term. 

“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President. And 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.

Biden also praised his Vice President Kamala Harris, long-rumored to become the Democratic candidate should he step down, describing her as “an extraordinary partner in all this work.” However, the president abstained from endorsing Harris.

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