United States Vice President Kamala Harris now says that she will do everything to make sure she unites the Democratic party.
This came after President Joe Biden endorsed her candidature as he also announced that he was dropping his re-election bid.
Kamala said she would do everything in her power to defeat Donald Trump.
"On behalf of the American people, I thank Joe Biden for his extraordinary leadership as President of the United States and for his decades of service to our country.
"I am honoured to have the President’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination. I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party—and unite our nation—to defeat Donald Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda," she said on X.
The decision comes after weeks of intense pressure from fellow Democrats following a stumbling and sometimes incoherent debate performance against Republican Donald Trump at the end of June.
The 81-year-old had earlier resisted calls to step aside even as concerns over his mental fitness and capacity to beat Trump mounted.
"Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump."
The announcement paves the way for another Democrat to become the party’s presidential candidate, with Vice-President Kamala Harris the most likely successor.
Biden will remain president until January when the winner of the 2024 election will take office.