US PRESIDENT ANNOUNCES HE WILL NOT SEEK SECOND TERM, ENDORSES KAMALA HARRIS

Washington, D.C.

In a stunning development that sends the presidential race into uncharted territory, the US president has announced he will not seek a second term. Instead, another Democrat will now be chosen to face off against Republican nominee Donald Trump in the November election, a contest already marked by tension, division, and an assassination attempt.

In a letter addressed to "my fellow Americans," the president stated it had been the "greatest honor 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," he wrote.

The president has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee, urging party unity with the message, "Democrats - it's time to come together and beat Trump."

The letter, posted on X (formerly Twitter), announced a forthcoming address to the nation where he will provide more details about his decision. For now, he expressed gratitude to his supporters, Vice President Harris, and the American people for their trust.

"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," he concluded.

First Lady Jill Biden reposted the statement on X with a love heart emoji.

This seismic announcement follows months of speculation about the president's age and fitness for another term amid high-profile gaffes and a poor debate performance. At 81, he had previously insisted he was best positioned to defeat Trump but faced internal party calls to step aside. Concerns were also raised by former President Barack Obama regarding his ally's re-election bid.

The president recently tested positive for COVID-19 while campaigning, exhibiting mild symptoms including "general malaise."

Attention now shifts to the Democratic National Convention in August, where the party will select its nominee to succeed the president.