PRESIDENT JOE Biden made the unprecedented call to quit the 2024 presidential race on Sunday and signed a historic letter announcing his decision.
Despite the momentous event, no photographs or video were taken of the President as he signed his name to the letter, which gave no reason for his withdrawal.
Biden, 81, made the last-minute call while sheltering at his beach house in Delaware after contracting Covid and the letter was shared online.
Surrounded only by a small inner circle of family and advisors, Biden decided to step down after poll numbers showed him way behind Donald Trump.
The missing pictures, an expected detail for such a momentous event, could speak to his frailty and will doubtlessly fuel Republican claims that he is unfit to continue as President.
Biden said that he would speak to the nation in the coming days but has no public events scheduled for today or the rest of the week.
The White House rubbished claims that his poor health after falling ill with Covid had anything to do with him stepping down.
High-profile members of Congress, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, have already called on him to resign.
Biden’s youngest brother Frank said on Sunday he believes the President’s health was part of his decision to withdraw his bid for the White House.
Frank told CBS “in my humble opinion absolutely”, Biden’s health was a factor.
He said: “Selfishly, I will have him back to enjoy whatever time we has left,” and told ABC the decision “boils down” to Biden’s “health and vitality”.
A spokesperson from the Biden camp slammed his brother’s claims and said he “suffers from alcoholism”.
It comes as…
The President’s health has been the hook for a slew of calls for him to step down in recent weeks.
Following on from a disastrous debate with opponent Donald Trump in late June, some 30 Democratic politicians publicly called for him to leave the race.
Speculation has been rife about his cognitive functioning amid videos of the President stumbling over his words, mixing up names, moving slowly at public events or freezing up altogether.
He doubled down and insisted his name would remain on the ticket ahead of the November vote for more than three weeks before finally signing the letter this past weekend.
Following on from his monumental move, attention has turned to what comes next.
The choice of Biden’s replacement, for which he has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, 59, is set to be decided at the Democrat National Convention in August.
US law states that the some 3,900 out of 4,000 Democratic delegates who backed Biden should now back his top choice.
But they are technically free to vote however they like and could choose a different candidate to select as the party’s nominee.
Other high-profile Democrats including Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer and Gavin Newsom have been touted as possible options.
However most reports are confident that Harris, who has already led from the White House for four years, will be officially confirmed as the Democratic nominee.
US President Joe Biden has announced that he is no longer seeking re-election.
Here is his statement in full:
“My Fellow Americans, over the past three-and-a-half years, we have made great progress as a nation.
“Today, America has the strongest economy in the world. We’ve made historic investments in rebuilding our nation, in lowering prescription drug costs for seniors, and in expanding affordable health care to a record number of Americans.
“We’ve provided critically needed care to a million veterans exposed to toxic substances. Passed the first gun safety law in 30 years. Appointed the first African American woman to the Supreme Court. And passed the most significant climate legislation in the history of the world.
“America has never been better positioned to lead than we are today.
“I know none of this could have been done without you, the American people. Together, we overcame a once in a century pandemic and the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. We’ve protected and preserved our democracy. And we’ve revitalised and strengthened our alliances around the world.
“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President. 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.
“I will speak to the nation later this week in more detail about my decision.
“For now, let me express my deepest gratitude to all those who have worked so hard to see me re-elected.
“I want to thank Vice President Kamala Harris for being an extraordinary partner in all this work. And let me express my heartfelt appreciation to the American people for the faith and trust you have placed in me.
“I believe today what I always have: that there is nothing America can’t do – when we do it together. We just have to remember we are the United States of America.”
