US President Joe Biden has dropped out of the race for the White House leaving the presidential race in uncharted territory.
Mr Biden ended his bid for re-election following a disastrous debate with Donald Trump that raised doubts about his fitness for office just four months before the election.
In a letter posted on X, the 81-year-old said: "It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President.
“And while it has been my intention to seek re-election, 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."
The decision comes after escalating pressure from Biden's Democratic allies to step aside following the June 27 debate, in which the president trailed off, often gave nonsensical answers and failed to call out the former president's many falsehoods.
His gaffes at a NATO summit - invoking Russian President Vladimir Putin's name when he meant Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and calling Vice President Kamala Harris "Vice President Trump" -further stoked anxieties.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 21, 2024
Mr Biden plans to serve out the remainder of his term in office, which ends at noon on January 20, 2025.
Around 30 minutes after he announced he was dropping out of the presidential race, Mr Biden threw his support behind Kamala Harris, the party's instant favourite for the nomination.
In a second post on X he said: “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.”
The president added that “we have made great progress as a nation” during his three-and-a-half years in office.
He wrote: “For now, let me express my deepest gratitude to all those who have worked so hard to see me re-elected. I want to thank Vice President Kamala Harris for being an extraordinary partner in all this work.
“And let me express my heartfelt appreciation to the American people for the faith and trust you have placed in me.
“I believe today what I always have: that there is nothing America can’t do - when we do it together. We just have to remember we are the United States of America.”
Mr Biden said he would address America in more detail about his decision.
