US President Joe Biden speaks during an economic summit at the College of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas, Nevada on July 16, 2024.
Kent Nishimura | Afp | Getty Images
US President Joe Biden on Sunday dropped his bid for re-election and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the candidate of the Democratic Party, prompting backlash from world leaders.
Biden was under pressure from members of his own party to drop out of the race against former President Donald Trump after a poor performance in the debate.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called Biden a “true friend” and “partner of Canadians.”
“I have known President Biden for years. He is a great man and everything he does is driven by his love for his country. As President, he is a partner to Canadians — and a true friend. To President Biden and the First Lady: thank you,” Trudo he wrote in an Instagram post.
prime minister of the united kingdom Keir Starmer said he believes Biden made the decision based on what was best for Americans, adding that he looked forward to working together for the rest of his presidency.
Biden’s “difficult” decision was recognized by Polish President Donald Tusk and Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala as driven by the greater US interest.
“Dear President @JoeBiden. You have made many difficult decisions that have made Poland, America and the world safer and democracy stronger. I know you were driven by the same motivations when you announced your final decision. Perhaps the most difficult life your,” Tusk wrote on social networking platform X.
Similarly, Fiala highlighted this move by Biden it was “a responsible and personally difficult step, but it is even more valuable.”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised Biden because he acted in what the latter believed to be the US interest, “as he had done throughout his public life.”
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant thanked Biden for his “unwavering support for Israel over the years.”
“Your steadfast support, especially during the war, was invaluable. We are grateful for your leadership and friendship.” Gallant wrote to X.
The Biden administration’s support of Israel in the war against Hamas in Gaza has cost it a significant amount of political capital internationally, experts have observed.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also expressed his gratitude to Biden’s “unwavering support for the Russia-Ukraine war.
“We will always be grateful for President Biden’s leadership. He supported our country at the most dramatic time in history, helped us prevent Putin from taking over our country, and continued to support us throughout this terrible war,” he said.
In March, Biden argued that Kiev could prevail against Moscow if the US continued to stand by Ukraine “and provide the weapons it needs to defend itself” but did not stop deploying US troops to Ukraine.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said there were still four months until the election, which was “a long period during which a lot can change.”
Speaking to a Russian mediaPeskov said, “We need to be patient and watch carefully what happens next,” according to a Google translation of his statement in Russian.
“Our priority is to achieve the objectives of the SVO [special military operation] not the results of the US election.” the spokesman is quoted as saying.
Former president Barack Obama praised Biden’s “exceptional record.” and called him a “dear friend and partner.”
“To look at the political landscape and decide that he has to pass the torch to a new candidate is certainly one of the most difficult [decisions] in his life,” Obama wrote.
