After weeks of intensifying pressure, Joe Biden, the president of the United States of America, conceded to demands from within his own party to drop out of the November 2024 presidential election in which he was seeking a second term. Mr Biden’s decision is unprecedented: never before has a sitting president eligible for re-election quit so far down the nomination process. The last time an incumbent opted out of the race for a second term in the US was Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968. Mr Trump, 78, is now the oldest presidential candidate ever, while Ms Harris, 59, is amassing a rapid following on TikTok and other youth-friendly social media platforms. Meanwhile, many Republicans have questioned Mr Biden’s fitness to complete the rest of his term, with some suggesting he should quit office.

Source: The Telegraph July 25, 2024 13:47 UTC