US President Joe Biden steps down from reelection bid

JOHANNESBURG - United States (US) President Joe Biden has announced he will not be seeking reelection, a decision he said was in "the best interest of my party and the country". 

This comes with just four months left before Americans take to the polls to elect a new president.

Biden’s well-being and his mental capacity had been the talk of this campaign season, with some arguing that he was simply too old to return to the White House.

In a statement released on Sunday, the 81-year-old said he would provide further details later in the week, and thanked Vice President Kamala Harris for "being an extraordinary partner in all this work". 

"For now, let me express my deepest gratitude to all those who have worked so hard to see me reelected... And let me express my heartfelt appreciation to the American people for the faith and trust you have placed in me," Biden said.

He also endorsed Harris to be the Democratic Party's presidential nominee.

'UNITE OUR NATION'

Democrats must now scramble to confirm a new candidate at their party convention in Chicago on August 19.

Harris, the first Black and South Asian woman vice president in US history, praised Biden for his "selfless and patriotic act" and vowed to "earn and win" the nomination.

Still highly influential former Democratic president Barack Obama cautioned that "uncharted waters" lie ahead.

Biden's decision came after a period of enforced isolation, with only a few family members and aides around him to consult at his Rehoboth Beach home, as he nursed a Covid infection.

First Lady Jill Biden reacted by simply reposting his statement, along with two hearts.

In a clear sign of how Republicans will try to frame Harris's image, Trump's new running mate J.D. Vance underlined that she had been "every step of the way" with Biden, "the worst president in my lifetime."

'MENTAL DECLINE'

Biden's decision to exit caps a tense and chaotic period in the US election, with Trump having survived an assassination attempt at a campaign rally on July 13, and Democrats tearing themselves apart for weeks over whether Biden should quit.

The Democrat is the first president in US history to drop out so late in an election race.

Biden spent more than three weeks resisting calls to step down following the shock of the June 27 debate, during which he often lost his train of thought and stood with mouth agape.

Harris meanwhile struggled to make an impact in her first years in the White House, but performed strongly on the campaign trail on key issues such as abortion.

In recent weeks, the Biden campaign has reportedly been quietly carrying out a head-to-head survey of voters measuring how the former California prosecutor matched up against convicted felon Trump.

Biden took office in January 2021 pledging to heal the "soul of America" after four turbulent years under Trump and the shock of the January 6, 2021 Capitol assault by his supporters.

Overcoming a reputation for verbal flubs, Obama's former vice president gave strong backing to Ukraine's battle against Russia's 2022 invasion, pushed through a massive Covid recovery plan and historic green industry subsidies.

But he faced criticism over the catastrophic US withdrawal from Afghanistan, high inflation, and his support for Israel's war in Gaza - while concerns over his age only mounted.