Joe Biden drops out of the Democratic Party's presidential race

U .S. President Joe Biden has announced that he is withdrawing from the presidential race, surprising the nation and leaving a void in the electoral race against Donald Trump.

After weeks of speculation about his health at age 81, Biden has made the decision not to seek re-election. "While I wanted to continue, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to focus on my current term," he said in a letter posted on the social networking site X.

In the letter, Biden expressed his gratitude to all those who have worked for his re-election and highlighted the role of Vice President Kamala Harris as an exceptional partner. He also thanked the American people for their faith and trust in him.

Biden highlighted his administration's accomplishments, citing U.S. economic strength, infrastructure investments, reduced drug costs and the expansion of affordable health care.

However, Biden's decision to withdraw from the presidential campaign is not common, especially due to doubts about his mental acuity after a debate with Donald Trump. This announcement, although expected by some, radically changes the electoral landscape.

The Democratic Party now faces the challenge of finding a new nominee before the convention in Chicago on August 19. Vice Chairwoman Kamala Harris appears to be a natural choice, but the final decision will be made by the party's delegates.

Here is the full text of Joe Biden's letter:

"In these three and a half years, we have made great progress as a nation. America today has the strongest economy in the world. We have invested in rebuilding our country, reduced prescription drug costs for seniors, and expanded affordable health care to a record number of Americans. We provided crucial care to a million veterans exposed to toxic substances. We 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 history. America has never been better positioned to lead.

None of this would have been possible without you, the American people. Together, we overcame a once-in-a-century pandemic and the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. We protected and preserved our democracy and strengthened our global alliances. It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your president. While it was my intention to seek re-election, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to step down and focus on fulfilling my duties as president for the remainder of my term.

I will speak to the nation later this week to elaborate more on my decision. For now, I want to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who has worked for my re-election. Thank you to Vice President Kamala Harris for being an extraordinary partner and to the American people for the faith and trust they have placed in me. I firmly believe that there is nothing America cannot accomplish, when we do it together. We just have to remember that we are the United States of America."