As of Saturday night, President Joe Biden had intended to remain in the 2024 presidential race. By Sunday afternoon, however, he informed his senior staff that he had decided to withdraw, according to a source familiar with the situation.
"Last night, the message was to proceed with everything, full speed ahead," the source told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity. "Around 1:45 pm today, the president told his senior team that he had changed his mind."
The abrupt decision surprised many White House staff, who were caught off guard by the announcement made while Biden was recovering from COVID-19 at his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
Biden, 81, had been wrestling with Democratic pressure to step aside, particularly feeling frustrated by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, whom Biden’s advisers believed was leading the push for him to withdraw.
Just hours before the surprising announcement, the Biden campaign had denied reports suggesting he was planning to exit the race.
"It is false. And I think it is false to continue to gin up this narrative," deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks stated on MSNBC’s "The Weekend" on Sunday morning. With inputs from agencies
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