In a historic move, President Joe Biden has withdrawn from the 2024 US presidential election, ending his bid for reelection following a disastrous debate with Donald Trump that cast doubt on his fitness for office.

Initially intent on continuing his term, Biden announced his decision on Sunday (Monday in Philippine time), endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris to take over as the Democratic Party’s standard bearer.

“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President,” Biden stated through his official message on X (formerly Twitter). “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.”

In a subsequent tweet, Biden commended Vice President Harris and urged Democrats to unite in support of her.

“My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President,” he said. “And it’s been the best decision I’ve made. Today, I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year.”

Biden concluded with a rallying cry: “Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this.”

The unexpected news, coming less than four months before the election, has disrupted a campaign both major parties considered to be one of the most important in recent memory.

📷 President Joe Biden FB