Joe Biden on Wednesday will deliver his first televised remarks since dropping out of the 2024 presidential race. On Sunday, the president pledged to provide “more detail about my decision” to not seek reelection in an address to the nation.
The president added more detail on Tuesday, saying on X that he will outline “what lies ahead, and how I will finish the job for the American people”. There are six months remaining in his term, and Biden and the White House have said he will serve out the remainder of his time in office.
Biden returned to Washington Tuesday from his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, where he had been recovering from Covid. On Monday, he phoned into campaign headquarters in Wilmington during an appearance by Harris, where he promised to be “fully engaged” in the campaign.
Later this week, Biden is expected to meet with the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. The prime minister is in Washington to give a speech at a joint meeting of Congress amid Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza.
What time is Biden’s address?
Biden will deliver remarks from the White House beginning at 8pm ET.
Tomorrow evening at 8 PM ET, I will address the nation from the Oval Office on what lies ahead, and how I will finish the job for the American people.
— President Biden (@POTUS) July 23, 2024
How to watch it
The Guardian will have live coverage of the speech. Given this is Biden’s first speech since announcing he is not seeking re-election, it’s likely all the major television networks will carry the speech live. C-Span is likely to have an official feed, too.
What has Biden said since dropping out of the race?
Biden, still recovering from Covid, phoned into the campaign’s headquarters during an appearance by Harris on Monday. “If I didn’t have Covid, I’d be standing there with you,’” said Biden, whose voice sounded a touch gravelly.
“I’m going to be on the road and I’m not going anywhere,” Biden said. “I know yesterday’s news is surprising and hard for you to hear, but it was the right thing to do.
“I won’t be on the ticket, but I am still going to be fully, fully engaged,” he added. “I’ve got six months left in my presidency. I’m determined to get as much done as I possibly can, both foreign policy and domestic policy.
“I’ll be doing whatever Kamala wants me or needs me to do in addition,” Biden added.
What to know about Kamala Harris’s election bid
Kamala Harris held her first campaign rally in Milwaukee on Tuesday afternoon, following the confirmation on Monday that she had secured the support of enough Democratic party delegates at its national convention next month to win the nomination for November’s election.
Several outlets have reported that the Harris for President campaign had requested vetting materials from a number of potential candidates for vice-president, including the Democratic governors Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania and Roy Cooper of North Carolina, and the Arizona senator Mark Kelly.
The news that Harris had already begun assessing potential running mates reflects the speed at which the campaign is moving towards next month’s Democratic national convention in Chicago, when the party’s candidates must be confirmed.
