3 months ago
20
US President Joe Biden has dropped out of the 2024 US presidential race.
Biden made the announcement in a statement on Sunday.
“I believe it is in the best interest 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,” said Biden.
The president signalled his intention to address the American people later this week.
Allegations of deteriorating mental capacity due to his advanced age have dogged President Biden’s for much of his presidency. Those issues intensified in recent weeks following a poor showing during a presidential debate against Donald Trump, where Biden appeared to make several mistakes.
His mental capacity was again brought into question days later when he referred to Vice-President Kamala Harris as ‘Vice President Trump’ in a press conference designed to prove his capacity.
Pressure has been building within the Democratic party for President Biden to step aside.
The 81-year-old has been staunch in his push for a second term in office, but in the same week that he was diagnosed with Covid-19 and a week after an assassination attempt on his presidential rival Donald Trump, saw him surge in the polls, Biden has bowed out of the race.
Read Joe Biden’s full statement:
English (US) ·