Photographer: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

US President Joe Biden said he will not seek reelection, a historic reversal that came after weeks of pressure from Democrats for the 81-year-old to exit the race to improve their chances of preventing Donald Trump from returning to the White House.

Biden announced his decision on Sunday and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, 59, to become the Democratic nominee. The move came less than four months before Election Day and just weeks ahead of the party’s nominating convention in Chicago.

“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 focus solely on fulfilling my duties as president for the remainder of my term,” Biden said in a statement he posted to X.