“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve you as president. And while I intend to run for re-election, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country that I step down and focus solely on fulfilling my duties as president for the remainder of my term,” Biden said. “I will speak to the nation in more detail about my decision later this week.”
Biden expressed his “deepest gratitude to all those who worked so hard for my re-election” and called Vice President Harris an “extraordinary partner in all of this work,” but did not specifically mention whether she would be his successor as the likely Democratic nominee.
The president’s decision came amid reports of uncertainty about his re-election campaign following a disastrous performance in the first presidential debate against the 78-year-old Trump last month. Biden, the oldest president in history, appeared on the debate stage alongside Trump for the first time since the 2020 election and did little to allay concerns about his drive and energy.
The president appeared to struggle with his voice, clearing his throat and coughing several times, and was often seen with his mouth open and staring as Trump spoke, sometimes struggling to finish sentences. Biden’s appearance reportedly caused “panic” among Democrats, according to a longtime Democratic activist and CNN leading political commentator David Axelrodwhereupon several Democratic members of Congress called for his resignation.
