Biden drops out of 2024 presidential race, endorses VP Kamala Harris

President Joe Biden will step down as the Democratic nominee and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election against former President Donald Trump.

Biden announced the decision on his X account, formerly Twitter, at 8:13 a.m. today. He wrote:

“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.”

This announcement comes after the June 27 2024 presidential debate in which the 81-year-old president trailed off, often gave nonsensical answers and failed to call out the former president’s falsehoods.

Hawai‘i Congressman called for Biden to step down following the debate.

Biden plans to serve out the remainder of his term in office, which ends at noon ET on Jan. 20, 2025.

Hawai‘i lawmakers reacted to the news this morning. U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawai‘i) said she is “extremely grateful” for Biden’s service to the country over the past five decades and his leadership over the last four years.

“After four years of utter chaos, President Biden led our country back from the pandemic and into the strongest economic recovery in a century,” Hirono said. “Under his leadership, Democrats passed landmark legislation to rebuild our nation’s infrastructure, support our veterans, combat the climate crisis, and invest billions in communities throughout Hawaii and across our country.

“His foreign policy leadership has been exemplary, helping to restore our country’s image on the world stage, strengthen NATO, and marshal international support for Ukraine. As the only person to have defeated Donald Trump, President Biden understands as well as anybody how high the stakes are this November, and I respect his decision to pass the baton.”

Hirono also supports Harris in a bid for the presidency.

“Working alongside the President, Vice President Harris has played a critical role in the progress we’ve made, and has shown herself ready to lead our party moving forward,” the senator said. “In the Senate, I saw firsthand what a fierce, committed, and effective champion Kamala is for the American people.

“I’m proud to call Vice President Harris a friend and colleague, and I look forward to doing everything in my power to get her elected to the White House, so we can continue building on the progress of the last four years.”

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) described Biden as a selfless patriot and dedicated public servant who’s given everything to the country.

“As a senator, vice president, and now president, he has spent most of his life working to make people’s lives better and the world safer,” Schatz said. “Today, yet again, he has put the country before himself, making the best choice for the American people in this uniquely consequential moment. For that, and for his lifetime of service, we should all be deeply grateful.

“It’s not an overstatement to say Joe Biden has been and is the most consequential president of our lifetimes. His legislative accomplishments speak for themselves and will endure for generations to come. He took the biggest climate action in human history. He cut the cost of prescription drugs for seniors and made our communities safer by passing long-overdue gun reform. He’s also revitalized our nation’s infrastructure and strengthened our alliances around the world.

“There’s no question Americans today are better off because of Joe Biden.”

Gov. Josh Green thanked Biden for his selfless leadership.

“President Biden and his family have made this decision, which I said all along was his and theirs to make,” Green said. “I have no doubt that it was a difficult decision…

“On behalf of the state of Hawaiʻi, especially the residents of Maui, I express our forever gratitude to President Biden for granting wildfire disaster relief within an unprecedented six hours of our making the request in a time of our people’s deepest need.”