It has been two days since President Joe Biden announced he will not run for reelection. Following this initial announcement, he will speak to the nation for the first time on Wednesday, July 24 at 8 pm ET.
The 81-year-old politician will soon come to the end of his four-year term, after taking office for a third time in 2021 with his Vice President, Kamala Harris. Reflecting on his time in office, President Biden noted, “America has the strongest economy in the world. We’ve made historic investments in rebuilding our Nation, in lowering prescription drug costs for seniors, and in expanding affordable health care to a record number of Americans. We’ve provided critically needed care to a million veterans exposed to toxic substances. Passed the first gun safety law in 30 years. Appointed the first African American woman to the Supreme Court. And passed the most significant climate legislation in the history of the world. America has never been better positioned to lead than we are today.”
In a separate statement, he wrote, “I’ve dedicated my presidency to proving that, and I’ll continue to do so today, tomorrow, and every day that I have the honor of being your president.”
Recently, he has not been able to perform his duties due to contracting COVID-19. In a statement released by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, his doctor stated, “The President presented this afternoon with upper respiratory symptoms, including rhinorrhea (runny nose) and non-productive cough, with general malaise. He felt okay for his first event of the day, but given that he was not feeling better, point-of-care testing for COVID-19 was conducted, and the results were positive for the COVID-19 virus. Given this, the President will be self-isolating in accordance with CDC guidance for symptomatic individuals.”
On Sunday, July 21, aside from announcing his departure, he also endorsed his current Vice President, Kamala Harris, to run as the Democratic party nominee in the upcoming election, which delegates have largely supported. The 59-year-old politician made history with her entrance into the White House by becoming the first female Vice President.
With the Biden-Harris campaign coming to an end, and Kamala Harris’s campaign taking over – with no running mate confirmed yet – the nation can expect to see the President address the nation at 8 pm Eastern Time.