Biden's Shock Withdrawal: A Sudden Turn in the 2024 Presidential Race

President Joe Biden surprised his team by deciding to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race following a poor debate performance against Donald Trump. His decision, influenced by polling data and pressure from Democrats, was announced while recovering from COVID-19.

On Saturday night, President Joe Biden was set to stay in the 2024 presidential race. However, by Sunday afternoon, he shocked his senior staff by announcing his withdrawal, according to a source familiar with the situation.

'Last night the message was proceed with everything, full speed ahead,' the source told Reuters, under the condition of anonymity. 'At around 1:45 p.m. today: the president told his senior team that he had changed his mind.' Minutes later, Biden announced his bombshell decision.

The announcement came less than a month after Biden, 81, had a disastrous debate against Republican Donald Trump, raising questions about his mental acuity. A senior adviser said Biden made the decision over the past 48 hours after considering data and polls that showed his path to victory was largely out of reach.

Biden's campaign had been treading a razor-thin path to reelection as he lost ground to Trump in battleground states. The sudden decision caught many White House and campaign staff off guard, with several expressing shock at the turn of events.

The president made the announcement while recuperating from COVID-19 at his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. He had been irked by Democratic pressure to force him out of the race, particularly from former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Earlier, the Biden campaign had denied reports of his potential withdrawal.

'It is false. And I think that it is false to continue to try to gin up this narrative,' deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks told MSNBC's 'The Weekend' on Sunday morning. Despite the denials, signs that Biden had been contemplating this decision had been evident for several days, with sources indicating that the Democratic incumbent was engaged in deep soul-searching.

(With inputs from agencies.)