WASHINGTON — After dropping out of the presidential race Sunday, President Joe Biden quickly pivoted to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris.
In a follow-up message on X, formerly Twitter, Biden offered a full-throated endorsement of Harris, who has served as his vice president since they were sworn into office in 2021.
Read Biden's full endorsement here:
"My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term. My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. 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. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this."
Biden plans to serve out the remainder of his term in office, which ends at noon on Jan. 20, 2025.
“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President. 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," Biden initially wrote in a letter posted to his X account.
Biden, who remains at his Delaware beach house after being diagnosed with COVID-19 last week, said he would address the nation later this week to provide more details about his decision.
The White House confirmed the authenticity of the letter.
The announcement is the latest jolt to a campaign for the White House that both political parties see as the most consequential election in generations, coming just days after the attempted assassination of Trump at a Pennsylvania rally.