Biden made protecting American democracy a central focus of his campaign,[7][8] along with restoring the federal right to abortion following the Supreme Court's overturning ofRoe v. Wade.[9] He also intended to increase funding for border patrol and security,[9][10] and increase funding for law enforcement coupled with police reform.[11] Biden promised to support, protect and expandLGBT rights[9] and frequently touted his previous passage of theInfrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, theChips and Science Act, and theInflation Reduction Act's landmark[12][13] investment to combat climate change.[14]
Biden made strengthening U.S. alliances a key goal of his foreign policy[15] and promised to continue supportingUkraine following theRussian invasion of the country andIsrael following theirGaza war, describing them as "vital" to U.S. national security interests. Biden promised to continue efforts to tackle gun violence and defend theAffordable Care Act following comments from Trump suggesting he would repeal the law.[16][9] He proposed increasing taxes on the wealthy through a "billionaire minimum income tax" to reduce the deficit and fund social services for the poor.[17][9] Biden's trade policy was described as rejecting traditionalneoliberal economic policy and theWashington Consensus that resulted in the offshoring of manufacturing andpopulist backlash. It included targeted tariffs against strategic Chinese industries to protect manufacturing jobs and counter China's technological and military ambitions.[18][19]
Biden initially refused calls to drop out from the race and insisted that he would remain a candidate.[32] However, on July 21, 2024, Biden ultimately ended his re-election campaign and immediately endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as his successor.[33] Harris quickly launchedher own presidential campaign later that day.[34] By July 22, 2024, Harris had secured enough delegate endorsements to replace Biden as the presumptive Democratic nominee.[35]
This was Biden's fourth presidential campaign, and was his first as the incumbent.[36] Hisfirst campaign was in the1988 Democratic Party presidential primaries. While he was initially considered one of the strongest candidates in that race, a scandal broke soon thereafter when news reports uncovered plagiarism by Biden in law school records and in speeches. This revelation led to his withdrawal from the race in September 1987.[37]
He made asecond attempt during the2008 Democratic Party presidential primaries. Like his first presidential bid, Biden failed to garner a sufficient level of endorsements and support. He withdrew from the race after his poor performance in theIowa caucus on January 3, 2008. He was eventually chosen to be the running mate of the party's nomineeBarack Obama. Following the Obama/Biden ticket's victory in the general election, Biden was sworn in asvice president of the United States on January 20, 2009. He ran again as Obama's running mate in2012 and was re-elected vice president, being sworn in for second term on January 20, 2013, and serving until January 20, 2017.
In May 2021, Biden's chief of staffRon Klain indicated the Biden administration was "anticipating a bruising general election matchup" againstDonald Trump, who had served as the 45th president of the United States and had been defeated by Biden in the2020 presidential election, if the latter followed through on a bid to return to the presidency.[39] In November 2021, against a backdrop of declining approval ratings, the Biden White House reiterated Biden's intent to run for reelection.[40] In a March 2022 press conference, when asked about the possibility that Trump could be his opponent in 2024, Biden replied, "I'd be very fortunate if I had that same man running against me".[41]
In aPBS NewsHour/NPR/Marist poll released on April 25, 2023 – the day Biden announced his reelection campaign – his approval rating was just 41%, with a disapproval rating of 50%.[42] Several polls both before and after Biden's campaign announcement showed that most Democrats wanted the party to nominate someone other than Biden for president in the 2024 election.[43][44][45][needs update]
The Biden campaign created an account onTruth Social in October 2023.[49] They announced on the social media platformX (formerly Twitter) that they had created the account on Truth Social because they found the idea "very funny".[50] Numerous observers characterised this as an exercise by the Biden campaign introlling Donald Trump.[51][52]
In May 2024, the Biden campaign posted a listing for a full-time Content andMeme Pages Partner Manager. The job description stated, "In this role, you will initiate and manage day-to-day operations in engaging the internet's top content and meme pages". The Meme Manager will be a first for a presidential campaign.[53]
Biden frequently stated his intention to "finish the job" as a campaign theme and political rallying cry.[56][57] Biden was described as apolitical moderate andcentrist,[58] and during the campaign was seeking to attract moderate Republicans and independents for his 2024 reelection bid.[59]
Biden was described as running on one of the most overtly abortion rights platform of any general election candidate in political history.[60] Biden promised to restoreRoe v. Wade if reelected, and criticized court rulings limiting abortion access or restricting the availability of abortion pills.[9][61]
Joe Biden framed the 2024 election as a battle for democracy and defending the "soul of America,"[7] which echoes Biden's framing of current geopolitics as "the battle between democracy and autocracy."[73] Joe Biden previously cited democracy and "a battle for the soul of our nation" as a key message of his successful 2020 run, and repeatedly touched on the issue of democracy since announcing his candidacy for the 2020 presidential election.[74]
Biden's trade agenda was described as rejecting traditionalneoliberal economic policies and theWashington Consensus in favor of de-risking supply chains from China and economic investment in target nations to address pandemic resilience, climate change,U.N. Sustainable Development Goals and the rejection of Chinese-style autocracy. Biden's policies are expected to increase public-private partnerships through theWorld Bank andIMF to compete with China'sBelt and Road Initiative. Biden stated his intention to reverse neoliberal policies that resulted in the offshoring of manufacturing and thus resulted in increasedpopulist backlash.[18] Biden enacted several targeted tariffs against China in strategic sectors such as EVs, solar cells, steel, and aluminum to protect American manufacturing and blunt China's technological and military ambitions.[19]
Biden previously supported two-years of free community college during his 2020 campaign, and has continued to propose it in yearly budget requests despite failing to have it pass during negotiations with Republicans as part of hisBuild Back Better Plan in 2021. Biden promised to tripleTitle I funding, and as of the end of 2023, managed an 11% increase totaling $2 billion for Title I along with increased funding forPell Grants and $7.3 billion in investments forHBCU's.[77]
Biden has stated he opposes book bans and has promised to appoint an anti-book ban coordinator to address the issue.[78] Biden has stated that attacks on teachers for talking about race and racism is wrong, and has opposed Florida'sParental Rights in Education Act. Biden supports protections for transgender students while also allowing school districts to restricttransgender women in competitive women's sports through updatingTitle IX protections.[79]
Biden continues to support student loan relief and had made it a promise of his initial 2020 campaign,[80] and previously attempted a $400 billion student debt relief plan that wasruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. Biden has since implemented a more modest income-driven $39 billion debt relief plan impacting 800,000 borrowers who had paid their loans over 20 years,[81] and waived some rules regarding thePublic Service Loan Forgiveness program that resulted in an additional 662,000 people having some debt canceled. On January 12, 2024, Biden announced debt relief under the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) repayment plan to wipe loans up to $12,000 that have been in repayment for 10 years or more, along with additional measures to take effect in July to limit payments to 5% of discretionary income from the previous 10%.[82] As of the end of 2023, Biden has canceled $132 billion worth of student loans affecting 3.6 million borrowers despite the Supreme Court's prior ruling.[83][79] On January 19, 2024, Biden canceled another $4.9 billion in student loan debt for 73,600 borrowers.[84] On March 21, 2024, Biden announced an additional $5.8 billion in loan relief for 77,700 borrowers through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.[85] On April 12, 2024, Biden announced another $7.4 billion in student loan relief affecting roughly 277,000 borrowers.[86]
Biden stated he believes in human-causedclimate change.[87] Biden previously strengthened environmental protections that had been weakened during the Trump administration. Biden passed theInflation Reduction Act, the largest investment in addressing climate change and clean energy in US history[88] with over $375 billion in funding and putting the US on track to meet emissions reduction targets by 50-52% below 2005 levels by 2030, and has created 170,600 new clean energy jobs with over $278 billion in new investments in 44 states.[89] Biden has stated his intention to use both regulation and market forces to address climate change, and has established clean energy tax credits and subsidies for electric cars, heat-pumps, and climate friendly technology.[9][87]
In addition to record funding for clean energy, Biden has overseen a record in US crude oil production with over 13.2 million barrels of crude per day, beating Saudi Arabia and Russia by millions of barrels and the 13 million barrels per day produced at the peak of Trump's presidency. Biden has previously stated his intention to lower prices at the gas pump, which experts believe is key to his 2024 reelection campaign.[90] Biden's first term dealt with supply shocks caused by the2021-2024 global energy crisis due to theCOVID-19 pandemic andRussian invasion of Ukraine.[91]
Biden has been described as presiding over "the most transformative phase in U.S. foreign policy in decades,"[92] and has made strengthening American alliances to ensure a "position of trusted leadership" among allies to counter Russia and China,[15] and ensuring that no other world power should surpass the United States in the military and economic spheres a focus of his presidency.[93] Biden noticeably sought to reduce U.S. military presence in theGreater Middle East, andwithdrew troops from Afghanistan after which theTaliban seized control.[94] Biden has made strengthening theNATO alliance and preparing for great power competition a cornerstone of his first term in office,[95] and has promised to defend the NATO alliance during his second term following reported comments that Trump told European Commission PresidentUrsula von der Leyen that America would "never come to help you and to support you" if Europe was attacked.[96] Biden has described modern geopolitics as "the battle between democracy and autocracy."[73] Biden has promised to continue supportingUkraine following theRussian invasion of Ukraine andIsrael following the2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel, describing them as "vital" to U.S. national security interests.[9] By March 2024, Biden has become increasingly critical of Israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu and thehumanitarian crisis in Gaza, and has authorized air drops of aid and announced the construction of a military port to facilitate the delivery of aid to the enclave.[97][98]
Biden promised to tackle gun violence through enacting universal background checks and increasing scrutiny of sales in gun shows and other unlicensed venues. Biden has also proposed implementing a ban on assault weapons. Biden was previously instrumental in passing the 1994Federal Assault Weapons Ban that expired in 2004, and has spoken of its impacts on the campaign trail.[9][99]
Biden stated his support of theFirst Step Act,red flag laws, increased background checks, the ability to bar people from carrying guns in schools and allowing gun manufacturers to be sued in court.[87]
Biden stated his intention to increase funding and resources for border patrol and enforcement, provide a path for people in the United States to apply for legal status and eventually citizenship, and create a smoother and expanded visa process for foreign graduates of American universities. Biden previously introduced theU.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 on his first day of office that stalled due to Republican opposition.[9] Biden also issued a memorandum to reinstate theDACA program,[102] overturned Trump's travel ban inExecutive Order 13780,[103] and reversed Trump'sExecutive Order 13768 that targetedsanctuary cities in the United States.[104] The Biden administration has undertaken a policy of punishing migrants who enter the country illegally and providing temporary protections to migrants from certain countries such as Venezuela, Ukraine, Nicaragua, Cuba and Haiti. This has resulted in a total increase in migrants legally arriving at points of entry, and a decrease in migrants attempting to illegally cross the border.[105]
In February 2024, Biden supported a bipartisan immigration bill to address theMexico-United States border crisis that included many conservative demands and also unlocked aid to Ukraine and Israel. Trump successfully called on House and Senate Republicans to kill the bill arguing that it would hurt his and Republican's reelection campaigns and deny them the ability to run on immigration as an issue.[106][107][108][109][110] Biden has since promised to campaign "every day" on Republican's refusal to pass the bill, stating that Donald Trump is the "only reason the border is not secure."[10] On June 4, 2024, Bidenpassed an executive order to shut down the border if illegal crossings reached an average of 2,500 migrants a day in a given week.[111]
Biden ran on a pro-police message and has explicitly stated his opposition to the "defund the police" movement and Republican calls to "defund the FBI."[112][58] Biden previously celebrated billions in funds for police departments in his2022 State of the Union Address,[11] and has provided hundreds of millions since then towards the hiring of additional police officers, school safety efforts, and community policing efforts.[113] Biden has also called on police reform, stating in February 2023, "when police officers or police departments violate the public trust, they must be held accountable." During his first term, Biden restricted the transfer of military equipment to police, directed federal law enforcement to restrict chokeholds and no-knock warrants, ordered new use-of-force standards within the Justice Department and signed an executive order to create a national database of fired police officers.[11] Biden has repeatedly pushed for community policing and violence intervention efforts and more mental and social services funding.[114]
Biden promised to include the remaining pledges left out of his initialBuild Back Better Act owing to resistance from Senators that ultimately resulted in the compromiseInflation Reduction Act. These include offering two years of free community college tuition, offering universal preschool and limiting the cost of childcare to 7% of income for most families. Biden has also signaled his intention to resuscitate the expanded child tax credit initially passed in theAmerican Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to $3,000 for children over six and $3,600 to children under 6,[9] which previously resulted in a roughly 30% reduction in child poverty.[121]
Biden has promised to protect and defend theAffordable Care Act after Trump commented he would seek to replace the law if he wins a second term,[16][122] and Republican senators expressed openness to repealing certain sections of the law.[123][124] Biden has promised to defendSocial Security andMedicare following comments made by Trump during a March 11, 2024, interview that suggested he was open to cutting the entitlement programs, which the Trump campaign later said was merely referring to "cutting waste."[125][126] Biden has also signaled his intention to expand the price cap on the cost of insulin at $35 for Medicare recipients enacted as part of the Inflation Reduction Act to private insurance.[9] Biden previously signed one of the largest expansions in veterans benefits in American history through theHonoring our PACT Act of 2022 that provided medical care for veterans exposed to toxic burn pits.[127]
Biden shared plans to increase taxes on the wealthiest Americans to fund social services and reduce the deficit. Biden has proposed raising the top tax rate to 39.6%, the corporate tax rate to 28% and the stock buyback tax to 4%. Biden proposed a "Billionaire Minimum Income Tax" that would target one-hundredth of 1% of Americans (roughly 700 billionaires) that would raise over $361 billion over 10 years by ensuring the wealthy pay a minimum tax rate of 20%.[9][17]
Biden previously implemented a 15% minimum tax on companies with annual income exceeding $1 billion.[9] As part of the Inflation Reduction Act, Biden provided a one-time funding boost of $80 billion to theInternal Revenue Service to modernize its systems and hire additional staff to reduce an estimated $688 billion tax gap in uncollected payments by increasing audit rates of the wealthy and tax evaders.[128] On January 12, 2024, the IRS announced it had collected more than $520 million in back taxes from delinquent high-income individuals, complex partnerships and large corporations due to increased funding from the Inflation Reduction Act.[129]
The Biden campaign was reported to plan to raise and spend $2 billion. To get around the $6,600 per donor, per year limitation to Biden's reelection campaign, the Biden campaign's financial strategy has involved closely working with theDemocratic National Committee and establishing joint fundraising committees (JFC) with local state parties in all 50 states. As a result, individual donors can donate almost $1 million per year to be distributed to the DNC, local state parties, and the affiliated Biden Victory Fund. Biden's campaign previously gave the DNC its supporter and fundraising data after Inauguration Day in 2021. This approach has been noted to be different to former President Obama's use his own outside organization, Organizing for America, that ultimately competed for donors and left the DNC in debt.[130] Biden was able to raise more cash than Trump early on due to establishing JFC's before Trump was able to due to having primary opponents until March.[131]
In summer and fall 2023,The Associated Press reported that Democrats were nervous about Biden's lack of fundraising and campaign activity. Of note were the 2023Writers Guild andSAG-AFTRA strikes in California that prevented Biden from raising money from Hollywood figures owing to his pro-union stance.[132] On January 15, 2024, Biden and the DNC reported taking in $97 million in the final three months of the year and after a December fundraising blitz, and announced that it took in $235 million from its launch in April 2023 and ended the year with $117 million cash on hand.[133]
In early 2024, Biden's presidential campaign was noted to have a considerable fundraising and cash advantage over Trump in part due to his opponents contributions being diverted to cover his many legal fees.[133]The Biden campaign reported raising $42 million in January with $130 million cash on hand,[134] and raising $53 million in February ending the month with $155 million cash on hand.[135] According to February FEC filings, Biden-alignedsuper PACs had $64 million cash on hand and $900 million has been pledged by Democratic groups and major unions.[136] According to a March 28Reuters article, large contributions made up 55% of Biden's support, compared to 65% of Trump's support.[137]
On April 6, 2024, Biden lagged Trump in total fundraising for the first time, reporting a total April fundraising haul of $51 million compared to Trump's $76.2 million,[131] much of which was raised at Trump's self-reported $50.5 million fundraiser at the house of billionaireJohn Paulson.[138]The New York Times reported that Trump was widely expected to catch up in total fundraising once he secured the Republican nomination and signed a joint fundraising agreement with the RNC. Biden noticeably beat Trump in total cash on hand, having $84.5 million compared to Trump's $48 million, both figures not including PAC money.[131] Biden's aides noted a lack of big fundraising events and the "grassroots fundraising machine" not yet starting were partly to blame for the lower April totals.[139] In June, the Trump campaign reported a $141 million fundraising haul for May, beating Biden's $85 million haul. Trump and the RNC entered June with $235 million on hand compared to Biden's $212 million. The Trump campaign accredited the haul with the aftermath of his 34 felony convictions in May that raised $70 million in the 48 hours after the verdict and briefly crashedWinRed. Trump also received a $50 million donation from billionaireTimothy Mellon. Biden increased fundraising events in June, including a $30 million event in Los Angeles with Barack Obama and Hollywood celebrities, along with a $8 million backyard fundraiser at the home ofTerry McAuliffe. The combination of Trump's improved fundraising and Biden's increased spending on television ads were noted to give Trump a cash advantage by summer 2024.[140]
In the weeks following his widely consideredpoor debate performance on June 27,The New York Times reported that numerous large donors had "slammed their wallets closed" setting the campaign on track to raise half of what it had hoped for.[141] Major Democratic donors to the pro-Biden Super PAC Future Forward were reported to be privately withholding $90 million in pledges unless Biden stepped down from the Democratic ticket.[142] Following hiswithdrawal from the race, the Biden campaign's finances were transferred to theKamala Harris 2024 presidential campaign.[143]
On January 5, 2024, Biden held his first campaign rally for the year. Described as an unofficial campaign kickoff nearValley Forge, Pennsylvania,[144] the event previewed Biden's campaign theme of defending democracy and labeling Trump as a danger to democracy.[7]
On March 28, 2024, Biden held a large campaign event with former PresidentsBarack Obama andBill Clinton atRadio City Music Hall in New York City and announced raising over $26 million,[146] a record for a single political event.[147]
Biden faced opposition during the 2024 Democratic Party presidential primaries fromU.S. RepresentativeDean Phillips. Phillipscampaigned as a younger alternative to Biden, who would be a stronger opponent to Trump.[151][152] Phillips cited poll numbers and the president's age as reasons to pass on the torch to a new generation. In public, Phillips was ridiculed. In private, others in the Democratic Party shared his concerns.[153][154] On December 14, 2023, during an appearance on “Meet the Press NOW,” Phillips criticized Biden's candidacy, stating that “The president is not a threat to democracy, but running and suppressing other candidates is a threat when you are behind in the polls, like he is.” Phillips also added, “He's a good man and someone I respect. But this delusion that he can win is a threat to democracy.”[155] On January 12, 2024, Phillips accused representatives of the Biden campaign of using access to pressure liberal media outlets intoblackballing and not platforming him.[156][157]
Biden was not on the ballot on January 23,New Hampshire primary, but won the state in a write-in campaign with 63.8% of the vote and strongly defeated Representative Phillips, who garnered 19.6% of the vote.[158] Biden had wanted South Carolina to be the first primary, andwon that state on February 3 with 96% of the vote.[159] Biden received 89.3% of the vote inNevada and 81.1% of the vote inMichigan, with "None of these Candidates" and "Uncommitted" coming in second, respectively. On Super Tuesday 2024, Biden won 15 of 16 contests, netting 80% or more of the primary vote in 13 of the 16 contests.[160][161]Biden lost theAmerican Samoa contest to venture capitalistJason Palmer, becoming the first incumbent president to lose a contest while appearing on the ballot sinceJimmy Carter in1980.[162][163] On March 6, Representative Phillips suspended his campaign and endorsed Biden.[164] On March 12, with wins inGeorgia,Mississippi andWashington, he reached the 1,968 delegates needed to win the Democratic nomination, becoming the presumptive nominee.[165]
In reaction to the Biden administration's response to theGaza war, a vocal minority of progressives,[166] Muslim, and Arab American leaders have disrupted events and formed protest votes in swing states through the #AbandonBiden campaign, which encourages voters in the United States to not vote for Biden as a form of protest of his support for Israel.[167][168] The organization leaders said they would not supportDonald Trump, but would not vote for Biden either.[169] On December 30, 2023, the #AbandonBiden campaign announced its countrywide expansion.[170]James Zogby, president of theArab American Institute, argued that Arab American opposition to Biden was due to his "insensitivity" to Palestinian suffering.[171] Biden voiced support for the right to protest but criticized when they became violent or antisemitic.[172]
Biden's support of Israel has prompted opposition fromMuslim Americans andArab Americans, particularly inMichigan, which has a large Muslim population and a large Arab population.[173][174] MayorAbdullah Hammoud ofDearborn refused to meet with Biden's campaign in January 2024 because he said the lives of Palestinians are not measured in poll numbers.[175] Hammoud later joined 30state legislators and members of theWayne County Commission to put pressure on Biden.[176]U.S. RepresentativeRashida Tlaib, the onlyPalestinian American inCongress, also called for Michigan Democrats to vote "uncommitted" in the state primary.[177][178][179] Due to Michigan's status as aswing state, some analysts have said that Biden's support of Israel could cause him to lose not only the state, but also the election.[180][181] Some major Democratic Party donors criticized Biden's policies in Gaza, saying they were imperiling his presidential bid.[182] By May 2024, several progressive groups critical of Biden's Gaza policy began anti-Trump campaigns that were noted to indirectly help Biden.[183]
On October 27, 2023,MinnesotaCongressmanDean Phillips formally launched hispresidential campaign for the Democratic nomination. Phillips argued during his campaign that the president would be a weak general election candidate due to his age and low approval ratings.[195] On December 23, 2023, Phillips argued that Biden should “thoughtfully exit” the 2024 race.[196] On January 18, 2024,Politico published an interview with Democratic Party presidential primary challengerJason Palmer, in which he called on Biden and all older lawmakers to "pass the torch" to a younger generation of political leaders.[197] Biden and his campaign deflected these concerns, demonstrating that he intended to stay in the race.[198]Jaime Harrison, chairman of theDemocratic National Committee, called the idea of replacing Biden "certifiably crazy" in atweet in February 2024.[199] By March 2024, the majority of Democratic officials, politicians, and strategists coalesced around Biden as their nominee,[166] especially following his2024 State of the Union Address.[200]
Later in her book,107 Days, Harris described Biden's decision to seek re-election was "recklessness".[201]
Biden repudiated any possibility of him dropping out, saying only "the Lord Almighty" could convince him to drop out in an interview withABC News held on July 5, after the first debate. Biden further affirmed his intent on staying in the race at a campaign rally inMadison, Wisconsin.[223] On July 5, Biden met with Democratic governors across the country with the majority saying he should also remain in the race.[223] He wrote a letter to Congressional Democrats on July 8, reiterating that he would not end his candidacy.[224] The same day, he called in to theMSNBC showMorning Joe and called for any prospective challengers to "run against me. Announce for president, challenge me at the convention.”[225] On July 11, Biden responded to a question whether he would step aside if polling data showed Kamala had a better chance of beating Trump by saying that he would only step aside if he had zero chance of beating Trump.[226]
On July 11, 2024, Biden held an hour-long solo press conference following theNATO2024 Washington summit in order to demonstrate his capability to face Donald Trump in the 2024 election.[230] Notably, Biden made two major gaffes, mistakenly introducingUkrainian PresidentVolodymyr Zelenskyy as "PresidentPutin",[231] and then accidentally referring toVice PresidentKamala Harris as "Vice PresidentTrump."[232] Later that evening House Minority LeaderHakeem Jeffries met with Biden expressing "the full breadth of insight, heartfelt perspectives and conclusions about the path forward that the Caucus" discussed earlier in the week.[233]
On July 13, 2024, following theattempted assassination of Donald Trump, Biden campaign officials promised to limit public campaign messaging and take down all TV campaign advertisements as soon as possible.[234]
On July 21, following weeks of public and private pressure, Biden announced that he was withdrawing from the race, writing "It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President. And 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". He immediately endorsed Harris as his replacement.[235]
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 revitalized 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 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.
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 reelected. 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.
— Joe Biden
On the evening of July 24, Biden addressed the nation from theOval Office, explaining his decision to withdraw from the race, and outlining his priorities for the final months of his term.[236]
^Sanger, David E. (November 19, 2020)."Trump's Attempts to Overturn the Election Are Unparalleled in U.S. History".The New York Times.Archived from the original on November 20, 2020. RetrievedDecember 16, 2023.President Trump's attempts to overturn the 2020 election are unprecedented in American history and an even more audacious use of brute political force to gain the White House than when Congress gave Rutherford B. Hayes the presidency during Reconstruction.
^Kumar, Anita; Orr, Gabby (December 21, 2020)."Inside Trump's pressure campaign to overturn the election".Politico.Archived from the original on December 22, 2020. RetrievedDecember 16, 2023.Trump's efforts to cling to power are unprecedented in American history. While political parties have fought over the results of presidential elections before, no incumbent president has ever made such expansive and individualized pleas to the officials who oversee certification of the election results.
^Eastman v Thompson, et al., 8:22-cv-00099-DOC-DFM Document 260, 44 (S.D. Cal. May 28, 2022) ("Dr. Eastman and President Trump launched a campaign to overturn a democratic election, an action unprecedented in American history. Their campaign was not confined to the ivory tower – it was a coup in search of a legal theory. The plan spurred violent attacks on the seat of our nation's government, led to the deaths of several law enforcement officers, and deepened public distrust in our political process... If Dr. Eastman and President Trump's plan had worked, it would have permanently ended the peaceful transition of power, undermining American democracy and the Constitution. If the country does not commit to investigating and pursuing accountability for those responsible, the Court fears January 6 willrepeat itself."), archived from the original.
^Eisen, Norman; Ayer, Donald; Perry, Joshua; Bookbinder, Noah; Perry, E. Danya (June 6, 2022).Trump on Trial: A Guide to the January 6 Hearings and the Question of Criminality (Report). Brookings Institution.Archived from the original on June 9, 2022. RetrievedDecember 16, 2023.[Trump] tried to delegitimize the election results by disseminating a series of far fetched and evidence-free claims of fraud. Meanwhile, with a ring of close confidants, Trump conceived and implemented unprecedented schemes to – in his own words – "overturn" the election outcome. Among the results of this "Big Lie" campaign were the terrible events of January 6, 2021 – an inflection point in what we now understand was nothing less than an attempted coup.
Jacobson, Louis (January 6, 2021)."Is this a coup? Here's some history and context to help you decide".PolitiFact.Archived from the original on January 6, 2021. RetrievedJanuary 7, 2021.A good case can be made that the storming of the Capitol qualifies as a coup. It's especially so because the rioters entered at precisely the moment when the incumbent's loss was to be formally sealed, and they succeeded in stopping the count.
^Harvey, Michael (2022). "Introduction: History's Rhymes". In Harvey, Michael (ed.).Donald Trump in Historical Perspective. Routledge.doi:10.4324/9781003110361-1.ISBN978-1-003-11036-1.Archived from the original on June 15, 2022. RetrievedJanuary 7, 2024.As with the Beer Hall Putsch, a would-be leader tried to take advantage of an already scheduled event (in Hitler's case, Kahr's speech; in Trump's, Congress's tallying of the electoral votes) to create a dramatic moment with himself at the center of attention, calling for bold action to upend the political order. Unlike Hitler's coup attempt, Trump already held top of office, so he was attempting to hold onto power, not seize it (the precise term for Trump's intended action is a 'self-coup' or 'autogolpe'). Thus, Trump was able to plan for the event well in advance, and with much greater control, including developing the legal arguments that could be used to justify rejecting the election's results. (p3)
^Bordoff, Jason (December 2022)."AMERICA'S LANDMARK CLIMATE LAW".International Monetary Fund.Archived from the original on January 18, 2024. RetrievedJanuary 16, 2024.The Inflation Reduction Act is the most significant piece of climate legislation in the history of the United States.
^Gärtner, Heinz (2023). "Great Power Conflict".China and Eurasian powers in a Multipolar World Order 2.0: Security, Diplomacy, Economy and Cyberspace. Mher Sahakyan. New York:Routledge. pp. xxiii.ISBN978-1-003-35258-7.OCLC1353290533.
^Shear, Michael D. (August 10, 2022)."Biden Signs Bill to Help Veterans Who Were Exposed to Toxic Burn Pits".New York Times.Archived from the original on January 8, 2024. RetrievedJanuary 7, 2024.The new law, known as the PACT Act, makes it easier for veterans who believe they were exposed to toxins during their service to apply for medical benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs. The law creates a $280 billion stream of federal funding, making it one of the largest expansions of veterans benefits in American history.
^Hammond, Elise; Sangal, Aditi; Chowdhury, Maureen; Shelton, Shania; Powell, Tori; Hudspeth Blackburn, Piper (June 27, 2024)."Biden and Trump face off at CNN presidential debate".CNN.Archived from the original on June 28, 2024. RetrievedJune 28, 2024.
^abLerer, Lisa (March 28, 2024)."4 Presidents, 2 Events and a Preview of Campaign Clashes to Come".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.Archived from the original on March 30, 2024. RetrievedMarch 30, 2024.Nearly all Democratic Party officials, politicians and strategists stand behind his effort. Yet, he has faced sustained opposition from a vocal minority of progressives who have protested the war in Gaza, through protest votes and event disruptions.
^Saric, Ivana (July 3, 2024)."How Biden went from "bridge" candidate to two-term hopeful".Axios.Archived from the original on July 25, 2024. RetrievedJuly 14, 2024.Between the lines: Biden's campaign comments likely signaled that he was only running because of who his opponent was, Anthony Fowler, a professor at the University of Chicago's Harris School of Public Policy, told Axios. "You could argue he's trying to kind of have it both ways. He's trying to kind of tell people, 'Don't worry, I'm only running for one term,' without ever actually explicitly promising that," Fowler said.
^abcWard, Myah; Stokols, Eli; Schneider, Elena; Otterbein, Holly (July 13, 2024)."Inside Biden's sputtering campaign to restore Dems' confidence".Politico.Archived from the original on July 14, 2024. RetrievedJuly 14, 2024.The paltry show of support for Biden behind closed doors revealed that for all the indecision about whether and how to confront Biden, elected Democrats' confidence in the president had plunged to a ruinous low...Sens. Jon Tester of Montana and Sherrod Brown of Ohio, the two lawmakers facing the toughest reelection bids, did not attend. Just two days earlier, they told colleagues they no longer believed Biden could win. Sen. Jacky Rosen of Nevada, another Democrat facing voters in a battleground state this fall, expressed concern to Biden's aides over whether the president can win her state.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
_Dec_2024.jpg){kind=icon}
