Biden stops running for election, Ms. Harris: I will defeat Donald Trump

President Biden announced that he was ending his presidential bid "in the best interest of the country", deciding to support Ms. Harris as the Democratic candidate.

"Serving as President has been the greatest honor of my life. Although I would like to run for re-election, I believe that the decision to withdraw will bring the highest benefit to the party and the country. I will only focus on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term," US President Joe Biden posted a statement on his X account on July 21 (early morning of July 22, Hanoi time).

President Biden, 81, asserted that the US has made "tremendous progress" in more than three and a half years of his term, has the strongest economy in the world and has made "historic investments to rebuild our country", lowered prescription drug prices for seniors, and expanded health care to "record numbers of Americans".

President Biden holds a press conference after the NATO summit in Washington, DC on July 11. Photo: AFP

He also reviewed social policy achievements during his term, such as supporting millions of veterans, passing the first gun safety law in 30 years in the US, appointing the first African-American female judge to the Supreme Court, and passing environmental protection legislation.

"America is leading today like never before. None of this would have been possible without you, the American people. Together, we have weathered a once-in-a-century pandemic and the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. We have protected and preserved democracy. We have energized and strengthened alliances around the world," Biden said.

President Biden said he will address the nation in more detail about his decision to end his campaign in the near future.

"I want to express my deepest gratitude to those who have worked tirelessly to see me re-elected. I want to thank Vice President Kamala Harris, who has been an incredible partner in this work. And I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the American people for their faith and trust in me," Biden wrote. "Today I believe what I have always believed, that there is nothing America cannot do, as long as we stand together. We just have to remember that we are America."

In a subsequent post on X to Democratic Party members, Mr. Biden announced that he would support Vice President Harris, 59 years old, as the party's candidate in this year's White House race.

President Biden and Vice President Harris. Photo: X/Joe Biden

"My first decision as a candidate in 2020 was to choose Kamala Harris as my vice president. It was the best decision I ever made. Today, I am announcing my full support and endorsement of Kamala as our nominee this year. Fellow Democrats, it's time to come together and defeat Trump," Biden wrote.

Senator Dick Durbin, the second-most powerful Democrat in the US Senate, said President Biden had “put the country first” in his decision to withdraw. He called on Democrats to immediately “unite behind a candidate who can defeat Donald Trump and keep America on the right track,” and vowed to “do whatever it takes to support” the campaign.

Chuck Schumer, the Democratic majority leader in the Senate, also expressed support for President Biden's decision to stop running.

"His decision was obviously not an easy one, but he once again put his country, his party, and the future of his people first. Today, Joe showed us what it means to be a true patriot and a great American," Schumer said.

This is the first time in decades that a sitting US president has decided not to run for re-election. The last time was President Lyndon Johnson, who withdrew from the campaign in 1968.

President Biden has been under enormous pressure from within the Democratic Party over the past month, following his first debate with former President Donald Trump. Thirty-five Democratic lawmakers have publicly called on him to drop out of the race to make way for a younger candidate.

With Mr. Biden’s withdrawal, delegates will elect a new presidential candidate at the Democratic National Convention, scheduled for August 19-22 in Chicago. With Mr. Biden’s support, Ms. Harris is likely to receive the party’s nomination.

The United for Harris campaign group has previously announced its readiness to support the vice president’s candidacy. The group, which includes a number of former advisers to Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaigns, was formed with the goal of rallying supporters to support Harris as the presidential candidate.

Harris' supporters believe she is the most viable choice for the Democratic Party at this time, because she can maintain President Biden's term policy, regain the trust of loyal voters, and not cause controversy over the primary election results.

"Ms. Harris was voted in by voters in the primary election, so the decision to choose her to run will ensure legitimacy and democracy," said Matt Ortega, a Democratic strategist, former digital media adviser to Mrs. Hillary Clinton, representing the group United for Harris .

US Vice President Kamala Harris praised President Joe Biden's decision to stop running, pledging to win the Democratic nomination and defeat Donald Trump.

"With this selfless and patriotic act, President Biden is doing what he has done throughout his life of service: Putting the American people and our country above all else," Harris said in a statement on July 21.

"I am honored to have the President's endorsement and my goal is to win this nomination," she added. "I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party, and unite our country, to defeat Donald Trump."

President Biden announced earlier that day that he was ending his White House bid "in the best interest of the country" and decided to support Ms. Harris as the Democratic candidate.

The United for Harris campaign group has announced its support for the vice president, a group that includes several former advisers to the presidential campaigns of Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders.

In a poll released on July 11 by ABC News, Washington Post, Ipsos, assuming Ms. Harris replaces Mr. Biden, the support rate between Ms. Harris and Mr. Trump is 49-46%.