World leaders react to Biden’s exit from the 2024 US presidential race

CNN
 — 

Messages of gratitude and support for US President Joe Biden poured in following his stunning announcement Sunday that he is exiting the 2024 presidential race and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as the next Democratic nominee.

It was the second seismic moment in US politics in just over a week, following the assassination attempt against former president Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania rally on July 13, which saw global leaders rally around him as the Republican nominee.

Pressure had mounted on Biden to pull out of the race since his disastrous performance at the CNN presidential debate last month, and on Sunday, he confirmed he would remain a one-term president, prompting a flood of tributes from US allies who thanked him for his leadership.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who met with Biden this month in Washington, said he respects the president’s decision and looks forward to working together for the remainder of his term.

“I know that, as he has done throughout his remarkable career, he will have made his decision based on what he believes is best for the American people,” Starmer wrote on X.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau thanked Biden for being a “true friend” to his country. “He’s a great man, and everything he does is guided by his love for his country,” he said on X.

In a news conference, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Biden deserves to be recognized for “once again not putting himself forward first, but giving his first consideration to being what he believes is in the interests of the United States of America, as he has done his whole public life.”

“President Biden has dedicated his life to public service, and that is something that deserves much respect,” New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said on X.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Biden for his “unwavering support” in his country’s war against Russia, which the US has backed with weapons, military aid and diplomatic support, despite backlash from Republicans.

“Many strong decisions have been made in recent years and they will be remembered as bold steps taken by President Biden in response to challenging times,” Zelensky said on X. “We will always be thankful for President Biden’s leadership.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that, whoever wins the US presidential election, Israel will remain “an irreplaceable ally” for Washington in the Middle East.

Speaking on Monday from the tarmac of Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport ahead of boarding a flight to the US, Netanyahu said his trip was an opportunity to thank Biden “for the things he did for the state of Israel, both in the war and during his years of service as a senator, as vice president and as president.”

President Isaac Herzog described Biden as a “true ally of the Jewish people,” while Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said the US president’s “steadfast backing, especially during the war, has been invaluable,” both in posts to X.

Biden has been one of the biggest supporters of Israel’s war in Gaza since Hamas’ October 7 attacks. But he has increasingly clashed with Netanyahu over humanitarian aid and the mounting civilian death toll of the conflict.

Irish Taoiseach Simon Harris called Biden “a proud American with an Irish soul,” and thanked him for his “global leadership” and “friendship.”

Other leaders commended Biden for making what must have been a tough decision to drop out of the race.

“My friend Joe Biden has achieved a lot: for his country, for Europe, for the world,” German chancellor Olaf Scholz wrote on X. “His decision not to run again deserves respect.”

Speaking at a rally Sunday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said Biden made the “correct” decision and put his family and health first. He wished him “health and a long life.”

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on X that Biden had made difficult decisions “thanks to which Poland, America and the world are safer, and democracy stronger.”

“I know you were driven by the same motivations when announcing your final decision. Probably the most difficult one,” Tusk said.

Leaders in South Korea and Japan said they would not comment about domestic politics in the US but emphasized the need to continue to work with the White House. Both nations have a mutual defense treaty with the United States and Biden was a major promoter of deepening ties between allies in Asia, in part to counter the growing assertiveness of China.

“I recognize that President Biden’s decision is based on his desire to make the best possible political decision,” said Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. “The Japan-US alliance is the cornerstone of our nation’s diplomatic security, and we will continue to monitor it closely.”

The office of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said it will “continue to work closely with the US to further develop the South Korea-US global comprehensive strategic alliance.”

Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos JR said Biden’s “decision to withdraw from his candidacy is a demonstration of genuine statesmanship.”

“We thank him for his constant and unwavering support for the Philippines in a delicate and difficult time,” he wrote on X. The Philippines, which is also a treaty ally of the US, has found itself increasingly confronting Chinese vessels in the South China Sea in recent years.

There was no official word from Chinese leader Xi Jinping as of Monday morning local time.

But “Biden dropping out of the election” was the top trending topic early Monday on Weibo, China’s X-like social platform, with five more related topics including discussions of Kamala Harris and Trump’s assassination attempt together accumulating more than 400 million views.

Some Chinese social media users excitedly speculated about the prospect of a woman becoming US president, while others said they believe Trump will win no matter the Democratic candidate.

“The shot was definitely a good deal for Trump!” one Weibo user wrote.

One user remarked, “that one shot didn’t kill Trump but dropped Biden,” while another described the political situation in the US as “a total mess.”