A sudden turn in the 2024 presidential race

On Saturday night, President Joe Biden was expected to remain in the race for the 2024 presidential election. But on Sunday afternoon, he shocked his aides by announcing his withdrawal, according to a source familiar with the matter.

“Last night the message was to move forward, full speed ahead,” the source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters. “Around 1:45 p.m. today, the president told his team he had changed his mind.” Minutes later, Biden announced his shock decision.

The announcement comes less than a month after Biden, 81, had a disastrous debate with Republican Donald Trump that raised questions about his mental acuity. A senior adviser said Biden made the decision in the past 48 hours after reviewing data and polls that showed his path to victory was largely out of reach.

Biden’s campaign had been on a rocky path to reelection, losing ground to Trump in key battleground states. The sudden move caught many in the White House and campaign staff off guard, with several saying they were shocked by the turn of events.

The president made the announcement while recovering from COVID-19 at his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. He had been angered by pressure from Democrats to drop out of the race, including from former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Biden’s campaign earlier denied reports that he would withdraw.

“That’s wrong. And I think it’s wrong to continue to try to push that narrative,” deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks told MSNBC’s “The Weekend” Sunday morning. Despite the denials, signs that Biden was considering the move had been evident for days, with sources saying the Democratic incumbent was engaged in deep soul-searching.

(With contributions from agencies.)