U.S. President Joe Biden spoke to the American public regarding his decision to end his reelection bid in a national address from the White House Oval Office on July 24.
Biden announced his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential election on July 21, endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic party's nominee.
"It's been the honor of my life to serve as your president," Biden said during the speech.
Biden said he believed his record in office merited a second term, but that it was time for "new voices" to help unify the nation.
"The best way forward is to pass the torch to the next generation," he said.
The president said he would spend his remaining six months in office working toward a number of goals, including supporting Ukraine in its defense against Russian aggression.
The Biden administration will work toward "rallying a coalition of proud nations to stop (Russian President Vladimir) Putin from taking over Ukraine and doing more damage," he said.
Biden also said it was a priority to preserve and strengthen NATO.
The speech was brief and did not directly mention former U.S. President and Republican nominee Donald Trump, though Biden implored voters to choose "hope over hate" in November.
Owen Racer
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