US President Joe Biden ended his re-election campaign on Sunday. He said in a letter posted on social media platform X that he will remain in office until the end of his term and will address the nation on his decision later this week.
Below are reactions from politicians, industry and advocacy groups, and other observers.
Vice President Kamala Harris
“I am honored to have the president’s support and I intend to earn and win this nomination,” Harris said in a statement. “I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party and our country to defeat Donald Trump and his extremist Project 2025 agenda.”
Former President Donald Trump
In a phone call with CNN just minutes after Biden announced he was dropping out of the 2024 race, former President Trump responded, “He’s the worst president in the history of our country. He’s known as the worst president ever in the history of our country.” According to CNN, Trump also said he thinks Vice President Kamala Harris will be easier to defeat than Biden.
former president barack obama
“I also know that for Joe Biden, he has never backed down from a fight. For him, looking out at the political landscape and deciding that he must pass the torch to a new candidate is surely one of the most difficult moments of his life. But I know he will not make that decision unless he believes it is right for America,” the former president said in a statement. “I have extraordinary confidence that our party’s leaders will be able to create a process that will produce an outstanding candidate.”
Chuck Schumer, Senate Majority Leader
“Joe Biden has not only been a great president and a great legislative leader, but he is a truly amazing human being. His decision certainly was not easy, but he has once again put his country, his party, and our future first. Joe, today shows what a true patriot and great American you are,” the Democrat said in a statement.
Elise Stefanik, House Republican Conference Chairwoman
“If Joe Biden cannot run for re-election, he is unable and unfit to serve as President of the United States. He should resign immediately,” Stefanik said in a statement.
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
“I applaud President Biden for leaving office. His weaknesses were obvious to any unbiased observer from the start. It was his progressive decline — and his abandonment of the principles of the Democratic Party — that motivated me to enter the race and ensure that American voters had a viable, empowering alternative to Donald Trump,” Kennedy said in a post on X.
Hakeem Jeffries, House Democratic Leader
“America is a better place today because President Joe Biden has led us with wisdom, decency, and dignity. We will be forever grateful to him,” Jeffries said in a statement.
Steve Scalise, House Majority Leader
“The leaders of the Democratic Party have proven they have absolutely no respect for their own voters. After preaching to others about democracy, they removed Joe Biden, the primary choice of 14 million of their own voters, from the ticket,” Scalise, a Republican, said on X.
Congressional Black Caucus Political Action Committee
“The people of America and the democracy-loving world owe a debt of gratitude to Joe Biden. The Congressional Black Caucus PAC joins President Biden in fully endorsing Kamala Harris as our party’s nominee,” the organization said in a statement sent to X.
Nancy Pelosi, Former House Speaker
“President Joe Biden is a patriotic American who has always put our country first. His legacy of vision, values, and leadership makes him one of the most important presidents in American history. With love and gratitude to President Biden for always believing in the promise of America and giving the people the opportunity to reach their fulfillment. God bless America with the greatness and goodness of Joe Biden.”
Gavin Newsom, Governor of California
“President Biden has been an extraordinary, history-making president — a leader who has fought hard for working people and delivered amazing results for all Americans. He will go down in history as one of the most influential and selfless presidents,” Newsom wrote on X.
Nanette Barragán, Chairwoman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus
“I’m with you @JoeBiden — I support @KamalaHarris as our Democratic nominee and will work tirelessly to ensure she is elected our next president in November,” Barragan said in a post on X.
South Carolina Democratic Congressman Jim Clyburn
“I support the good judgment (President Biden) has shown in choosing Vice President Harris to lead this country alongside him, and I am proud to follow his lead in endorsing her candidacy as the Democratic Party’s nominee for president in 2024,” Clyburn said in a statement.
Andy Beshear, Governor of Kentucky
Beshear, whose name has also surfaced as a possible presidential or vice presidential contender, praised Biden for acting “in the best interest of our country and our party” and for “a successful presidency that accomplished big, important things.”
“It’s time for our country to unite,” he said in his post on X.
Peter Welch, US Senator
Welch, the first Democratic senator to call on Joe Biden to withdraw his re-election bid, on Sunday praised the president for dropping the bid, saying he showed “good judgment and great humility” and “put country first.”
“It was an agonizing decision,” Welch said in an interview with Reuters. “Every part of me wanted to fight and defeat Trump again.”
Welch declined to endorse Harris, acknowledging that Harris is the front-runner to replace Biden.
“Democrats must have an open process so that whoever our nominee is, including Kamala, has a process that reflects the consensus position of the party,” he said.
Barbara Lee, US Representative
Lee, the former chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, said in a phone interview that there was “no other choice” than to choose Harris as the party’s nominee.
“She is the best vice president,” Lee said. “She is experienced, capable and intelligent. She has been part of the Biden-Harris legacy that needs to continue.”
Gretchen Whitmer, Governor of Michigan
“President Biden is a great public servant who knows better than anyone what it takes to defeat Donald Trump. His remarkable work to lower prescription drug costs, repair roads, rewire supply chains, address climate change and ensure America’s global leadership for decades will go down in history. My job in this election will remain the same: to do everything I can to elect Democrats and stop Donald Trump, a convicted felon whose agenda of raising the cost of living for families, banning abortions nationwide and abusing the power of the White House to settle his own scores is completely wrong for Michigan,” Whitmer said on X.
United Auto Workers
“Vice President Kamala Harris picketed with us in 2019 and, together with President Biden, has brought work and jobs back to communities like Lordstown, Ohio, and Belvidere, Illinois. That is the legacy President Biden leaves behind, and that is the work we will continue to carry forward as a union,” the union said in a statement.
Dick Durbin, Senator and Majority Whip
“Throughout his public career, Joe Biden has always put country first. His four years as president made it clear that he was determined to get our country back on track and restore the soul of our nation. America will be forever grateful for all he has given to this country,” Durbin wrote on X.
Clinton
“We are honored to join the President in endorsing Vice President Harris and will do everything we can to support her,” the Clintons said in a statement.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
