President Biden steps aside

President Biden abandoned his bid for re-election yesterday, succumbing to intense pressure from the Democratic Party in a dramatic attempt to stop Donald Trump from returning to the White House. No sitting U.S. president has dropped out of a race so late in an election cycle.

“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President,” Biden said in a letter posted on social media. “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.”

Biden said he planned to serve out his term, and he endorsed Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee, offering his “full support.” Not long afterward, Harris announced that she was running. “My intention is to earn and win this nomination,” she said in a statement. “We have 107 days until Election Day. Together, we will fight. And together, we will win.”

Background: Biden, 81, told aides as recently as Saturday night that his campaign was still moving ahead at full speed. Most of his staff was informed of his decision yesterday at 1:45 p.m., one minute before Biden posted his announcement. Here’s a timeline of his withdrawal.

Response: Democratic voters said they were relieved that Biden was ending his campaign, but many said they remained worried about the political path ahead, as well as whether Americans were ready to elect a Black woman to the nation’s highest office. Undecided voters said they could be receptive to other candidates, to an extent.

Global reaction: In their statements, foreign leaders did not wade into the turmoil of U.S. politics. Many opted instead for congratulations and empathy for Biden.