President Joe Biden announced in a letter to the American people on Sunday that he will not seek re-election. He later announced his endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris to serve as Democratic nominee.
The announcement follows weeks of fallout from Democrats after a disastrous debate performance against his GOP rival, former President Donald Trump,.
Driving the news: In the open letter, distributed via social media on Sunday morning, Biden highlighted the progress made during his term,
- Biden emphasized his appointment of the first African American woman to the Supreme Court and the passing of significant climate legislation.
- He expressed gratitude to the American people for overcoming the challenges of a once-in-a-century pandemic and the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, as well as for protecting and preserving democracy and revitalizing alliances around the world.
- The president stated his intention to stand down from seeking re-election and to focus solely on fulfilling his duties for the remainder of his term.
- He announced his plan to speak to the nation in more detail about his decision later in the week.
What he’s saying: “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.”
- “I believe today what I always have: that there is nothing America can’t do – when we do it together. We just have to remember we are the United States of America,” Biden wrote.
