U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris made her first public comments following President Joe Biden's announcement that he will not seek re-election, saying she was determined to defeat Republican candidate Donald Trump in November.
"I am honored to receive the president's support, and I intend to earn and win the presidential nomination," Harris said. "I will do everything to unite the Democratic Party—and our nation—to defeat Donald Trump."
She added, "We have 107 days until the election. We will fight together, and together—we will win."
Biden ended his reelection campaign on Sunday after fellow Democrats lost faith in his mental acuity and ability to beat Donald Trump, leaving the presidential race in uncharted territory.
Biden, in a post on X, said he will remain in his role as president and commander-in-chief until his term ends in January 2025 and will address the nation this week.
"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 wrote.
A source familiar with the matter said that Biden as of Saturday night had planned to stay in the 2024 presidential race, but told senior staff on Sunday afternoon that he was withdrawing. "Last night the message was proceed with everything, full speed ahead," the source told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity. "At around 1:45 p.m. today: the president told his senior team that he had changed his mind."
The decision caught many White House staff off guard, with several expressing shock that the president had made the announcement while recuperating from a bout of COVID-19 at his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Nursing a cough, the 81-year-old Biden had spent the weekend stewing over Democratic pressure to force him to leave the race.
According to CNN, Biden met with Harris and that her team is planning a Zoom discussion later Sunday, having prepared for weeks in case the president decided to step down.
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer commended Biden after the Democratic leader announced he was dropping his reelection bid. "Joe Biden has not only been a great president and a great legislative leader but he is a truly amazing human being," the Democrat said in a statement.
"His decision of course was not easy, but he once again put his country, his party, and our future first. Joe, today shows you are a true patriot and great American."
President Isaac Herzog thanked his American counterpart for his support of Israel during wartime. "I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to @POTUS Joe Biden for his friendship and steadfast support for the Israeli people over his decades long career," he wrote on X.
"As the first US President to visit Israel in wartime, as a recipient of the Israeli Presidential Medal of Honor, and as a true ally of the Jewish people, he is a symbol of the unbreakable bond between our two peoples. I send him, @FLOTUS Jill Biden, and all his family, my warmest wishes from Jerusalem."