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Joe Biden announced his decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race on Sunday, July 21. The President tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday and in a statement to his followers on social media, he explained his intention to put all of his energy into his remaining time in office.
“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 focus solely on fulfilling my duties as president for the remainder of my term,” Biden wrote.
In a later tweet on X, formerly Twitter, he endorsed his vice-president, Kamala Harris, as the Democratic nominee he believed best suited to face off against Republican nominee Donald Trump in November.
“My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my vice-president,” he said. “And it’s been the best decision I’ve made. Today 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 news has sent shockwaves through the Democratic party and likely America at large. It can certainly be felt on social media platforms, where people were quick to respond to the news. Amongst them were the celebrities, politicians, and even Biden’s family members, many of whom had supported Biden through his 2020 campaign and intended to do so again this year.
Here are some of their reactions to the announcement:
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