Joe Biden has pulled out of the presidential race, saying it is “in the best interest of my party and the country”.
In a development that sends the contest into unchartered territory, the US president announced that he will no longer be seeking a second term.
Instead, another Democrat will now need to be chosen to face off against Republican nominee Donald Trump in November in a race that has already been marked by tension, division and an assassination attempt.
In a letter addressed to “my fellow Americans”, he said it had been the “greatest honour of my life to serve as your president”.
“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.”
