Members of President Joe Biden’s family said they are proud of him after he announced on Sunday he is dropping out of the 2024 presidential race.
The president issued a statement on X announcing that it is “in the best interest of my party and the country” to suspend his reelection campaign, with just a few months to go before the November general election.
His wife, First Lady Jill Biden, quote-tweeted his post, adding a heart emoji. She offered no other comment.
His granddaughter, Naomi Biden, praised the president as “the most effective president of our lifetime” in an X statement issued soon after his announcement.
“I’m nothing but proud today of my Pop, our President, Joe Biden, who has served our country with every bit of his soul and with unmatched distinction,” she wrote on the platform. “Not only has he been—and will continue to be—the most effective president of our lifetime, but he has likely already cemented himself as the most effective and impactful public servant in our nation’s history.”
She said that President Biden has “had a material impact on literally every single major issue that our country and world has faced for 50 years.”
President Biden’s brother, Frank Biden, told ABC News Sunday that the decision to withdraw “boils down” to his “overall health and vitality,” without elaborating.
The president’s son, Hunter Biden, who was convicted last month on felony gun charges, has not yet publicly released a statement about his father’s decision. The Epoch Times contacted a representative for the younger Biden for comment Sunday.
Aside from his family, former President Bill Clinton and former First Lady Hillary Clinton praised the president and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president. In another post, President Biden likewise endorsed Ms. Harris to succeed him as the Democratic Party’s nominee.
“We are honored to join the President in endorsing Vice President Harris and will do whatever we can to support her,” the Clintons wrote, adding, “Now is the time to support Kamala Harris and fight with everything we’ve got to elect her. America’s future depends on it.”
Former President Trump also reacted to the announcement that his rival was dropping out of the race. He encouraged voters cast their ballots for him in November to “remedy the damage” that was done, while criticizing the president’s record.
At the same time, several top Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), suggested that President Biden step down from office immediately.
Sunday’s announcement marks yet another seismic shift in the 2024 presidential race, coming just over a week after former President Trump survived an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania. The former president, during the Republican National Convention, accepted his party’s nomination on July 18.
President Biden made his announcement about a month before the start of the Democratic National Convention, which will be held between Aug. 19 and Aug. 22 in Chicago. During that event, Democratic Party delegates will officially nominate a candidate to run in November.
In his announcement, President Biden said that “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.”
His statement added that he will address the nation later this week about his decision.
