What political leaders have said about Biden's decision to end his reelection bid

In a stunning social media post Sunday, President Joe Biden announced he was pulling out of the race for a second term in the White House.

“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,” Biden wrote in a letter posted to his X account.

READ: Biden’s full letter announcing the end of his 2024 reelection bid

Biden threw his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris, endorsing her to take on Trump in November and encouraging the Democratic Party to unite behind her.

“Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year,” he said in a separate post. “Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump.”

Here’s how other leaders have responded

Vice President Kamala Harris: “With this selfless and patriotic act, President Biden is doing what he has done throughout his life of service: putting the American people and our country above everything else. I am honored to have the President’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination. … I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party—and unite our nation—to defeat Donald Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda. We have 107 days until Election Day. Together, we will fight. And together, we will win.”

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer: “Joe Biden has not only been a great president and a great legislative leader but he’s a truly amazing human being. His decision of course was not easy, but he once again put his country, his party, and our future first. Joe, today shows you are a true patriot and great American.”

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell: “For four years, the American people have faced historic inflation at home, chaos at the border, and weak leadership on the world stage. Our nation is less prosperous and less secure than it was in January, 2021. We cannot afford four more years of failure. Unfortunately, the Democratic Party has been busy in recent weeks trying to upend the expressed will of the American people in primary elections across the country. Washington Democrats have not proven themselves any more capable than the President of delivering the secure borders, safe streets, and stable prices that working families deserve.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson: “At this unprecedented juncture in American history, we must be clear about what just happened. The Democrat Party forced the Democrat nominee off the ballot, just over 100 days before the election. … If Joe Biden is not fit to run for President, he is not fit to serve as President. He must resign the office immediately. November 5 cannot arrive soon enough.”

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries: “President Joe Biden is one of the most accomplished and consequential leaders in American history. In less than one term, he rescued the nation from a once-in-a-century pandemic, brought the economy roaring back from the brink of recession, enacted consequential legislation for everyday Americans and saved our democracy by defeating the Insurrectionist-in-Chief. America is a better place today because President Joe Biden has led us with intellect, grace and dignity. We are forever grateful.”

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi : “President Joe Biden is a patriotic American who has always put our country first. His legacy of vision, values and leadership make him one of the most consequential Presidents in American history. With love and gratitude to President Biden for always believing in the promise of America and giving people the opportunity to reach their fulfillment. God blessed America with Joe Biden’s greatness and goodness.”

Former President Donald Trump: “Crooked Joe Biden was not fit to run for President, and is certainly not fit to serve – And never was! He only attained the position of President by lies, Fake News, and not leaving his Basement. All those around him, including his Doctor and the Media, knew that he wasn’t capable of being President, and he wasn’t … We will suffer greatly because of his presidency, but we will remedy the damage he has done very quickly. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

Former President Barack Obama: “Joe Biden has been one of America’s most consequential presidents, as well as a dear friend and partner to me. Today, we’ve also been reminded — again — that he’s a patriot of the highest order. … We will be navigating uncharted waters in the days ahead. But I have extraordinary confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges. I believe that Joe Biden’s vision of a generous, prosperous, and united America that provides opportunity for everyone will be on full display at the Democratic Convention in August. And I expect that every single one of us are prepared to carry that message of hope and progress forward into November and beyond.”

Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton: “We join millions of Americans in thanking President Biden for all he has accomplished, standing up for America time and again, with his North Star always being what’s best for the country. We are honored to join the President in endorsing Vice President Harris and will do whatever we can to support her.”

Democratic National Convention Chair Jaime Harrison: “The work that we must do now, while unprecedented, is clear. In the coming days, the Party will undertake a transparent and orderly process to move forward as a united Democratic Party with a candidate who can defeat Donald Trump in November. This process will be governed by established rules and procedures of the Party. Our delegates are prepared to take seriously their responsibility in swiftly delivering a candidate to the American people.”

Rep. Gregory Meeks and Rep. Steven Horsford: “The Congressional Black Caucus PAC joins President Biden in fully supporting Kamala Harris as our party’s nominee. She has been instrumental in delivering the accomplishments of the last 3.5 years and has led on lowering maternal mortality rates, protecting reproductive freedoms, and ensuring economic opportunities for all. She will do an excellent job as President of the United States.”

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro: “The best path forward for the Democratic Party is to quickly united behind Vice President Harris and refocus on winning the presidency. The contrast in this race could not be clearer and the road to victory in November runs right through Pennsylvania — where this collective work began. I will do everything I can to help elect Kamala Harris as the 47th President of the United States.”

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper: “Kamala Harris should be the next President. I’ve known [the vice president] going back to our days as AGs, and she has what it takes to defeat Donald Trump and lead our country thoughtfully and with integrity. I look forward to campaigning for her as we work to win NC up and down the ticket.”

Israeli President Isaac Herzog: “I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to President Joe Biden for his friendship and steadfast support for the Israeli people over his decades long career. As the first US President to visit Israel in wartime, as a recipient of the Israeli Presidential Medal of Honor, and as a true ally of the Jewish people, he is a symbol of the unbreakable bond between our two peoples. I send him, first lady Jill Biden, and all his family, my warmest wishes from Jerusalem.”

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk: “Dear President Joe Biden. You’ve taken many difficult decisions thanks to which Poland, America and the world are safer, and democracy stronger. I know you were driven by the same motivations when announcing your final decision. Probably the most difficult one in your life.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy: “ We will always be thankful for President Biden’s leadership. He supported our country during the most dramatic moment in history, assisted us in preventing Putin from occupying our country, and has continued to support us throughout this terrible war. The current situation in Ukraine and all of Europe is no less challenging, and we sincerely hope that America’s continued strong leadership will prevent Russian evil from succeeding or making its aggression pay off.”