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

CNN
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Messages of thanks and support US President Joe Biden On Sunday he continued to pour in his shock announcement that he would drop out of the 2024 presidential race and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris as the next Democratic nominee.

It was the second seismic moment in US politics in a week, following the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania rally on July 13, as world leaders rallied around him as the Republican nominee.

Pressure on Biden to drop out of the race has mounted since his disastrous performance in last month’s CNN presidential debate, and on Sunday, he confirmed he would be a one-term president, prompting a flood of tributes from his U.S. allies who thanked him. His leadership.

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

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

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

At a news conference, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Biden “deserves to be recognized for his first consideration of what he believes is in the best interests of the United States, without putting himself forward once again. He has done it his entire public career.”

“President Biden has dedicated his life to public service, which is a very honorable thing,” New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Lacson said. Said in X.

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

“Many strong decisions have been made in recent years that will be remembered as bold actions by President Biden in response to challenging times,” Zelensky said. Said in X. “We will always be grateful for President Biden’s leadership.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel will remain Washington’s “irreplaceable ally” in the Middle East, regardless of who wins the US presidential election.

Speaking from the tarmac of Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport on Monday before boarding his flight to the United States, Netanyahu said his trip was an opportunity to thank Biden. He served for many years as a senator, vice president and president.

President Isaac Herzog described Biden as a “true ally of the Jewish people,” while Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said the US president’s “unwavering support, especially in times of war, was invaluable.”

Biden has been one of the biggest supporters of Israel’s war on Gaza since the October 7 attacks by Hamas. But he has increasingly clashed Netanyahu is done Humanitarian aid And this A mounting civilian death toll The number of conflicts.

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

Other leaders praised Biden for making the difficult decision to withdraw from the race.

“My friend Joe Biden has achieved a lot: for his country, for Europe, for the world,” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz Wrote in X. “His decision not to run again is honorable.”

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

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk Wrote in X “Poland, the United States and the world are safe and democracy is strong, thanks to Biden,” said Biden, making tough decisions.

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

Leaders in South Korea and Japan said they would not comment on domestic politics in the United States but stressed the need to continue working with the White House. The two countries have a mutual defense treaty with the United States, and Biden has been a key promoter of deepening ties between the allies in Asia to counter China’s growing assertiveness.

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

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol’s office said it will “continue to work closely with the United States to further develop the South Korea-US Global Comprehensive Strategic Alliance.”

Philippine President Ferdinand “Bangbang” Marcos JR said Biden’s “decision to withdraw from the candidacy is a demonstration of true statesmanship.”

“We thank him for his consistent and unwavering support to the Philippines at a critical and difficult time,” he said. Wrote in X. A treaty ally of the United States, the Philippines found itself increasingly facing Chinese ships In recent years in the South China Sea.

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

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

Some Chinese social media users excitedly speculated about the prospect of a woman becoming US president, while others believed Trump would win despite being the Democratic nominee.

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

“One shot didn’t kill Trump, but took down Biden,” noted one user, while another described America’s political situation as a “total mess.”