Amid increasing calls for him to step aside from Democrats, Joe Biden announced on Sunday that he will "stand down" and not seek re-election.
The party's leadership reportedly had been engaged in efforts to convince Biden, 81, he could not defeat Donald Trump in November's general election.
"It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your president," Biden wrote in a public letter. "While it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interests of my party and the country for me to stand down and focus solely on fulfilling my duties as president for the remainder of my term."
In the initial announcement, Biden did not endorse a replacement, but in a later post on Sunday afternoon he backed Harris.
"I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year," he said in a statement on X. "Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this."
Biden said he will formally address the nation later this week.
The end of his term will mark the swan song of five decades in the Swamp for Biden, who was first elected to the Senate representing his home state of Delaware in 1972.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 21, 2024
