World Leaders React to Biden Dropping Out

TIME

President Joe Biden announced on Sunday that he would not seek re-election, a decision that upends the 2024 presidential contest. Here's how world leaders have reacted to the historical decision.

Transcript

00:00Would you like to see Pamela Harris as the Democratic nominee?

00:03Well that's a matter for the Democratic Party and the Democrats will have their convention

00:10just as the Republicans had their convention last week.

00:14I think that the election in November will be one which is watched by Australians but

00:21watched by people around the world because who the President of the United States is

00:28has an impact on the world as the world's largest economy and as an important partner

00:34of Australia, not just in security issues but in economic issues as well.

00:39In relation to the future, now President Biden is stepping down, obviously in the first instance

00:48it's for the Democratic Party to decide who they want to put forward.

00:53It is then for the American people to decide who they want as their President.

00:58My approach will be to respect that decision making and to be clear that we will work

01:05with whoever the American people elect into office as you would expect, particularly given

01:10the nature of the special relationship between our two countries.

01:15Forged in difficult circumstances, endured for years and very important to me and very

01:22important to all American Presidents.

01:24The withdrawal of Biden doesn't mean the victory of Trump.

01:28So first of all I would like to say that Biden did a great job for many, many years.

01:36It was a courageous decision and I wish all the best to maybe Kamala Harris who will take

01:45the lead now for the Democrats.

01:48It's a woman, it's a strong woman and I wish her all the best.

01:53Well, the Americans have to decide who they want to be in the White House.

01:59And certainly I'm sure it will be quite an important difference for the transatlantic

02:04relationship depending on who is there.

02:07But it is the US citizens to decide.

02:10I don't want to interfere.

02:12I don't think it's our role to go and to tell the Americans what they have to do or to express

02:17preferences for one or the other.

02:19For all of us it's the same.

02:20We will work with whoever is democratically elected in the US.

02:23It's very clear.

02:25We have had in the European history various partners in the White House and we will work

02:29with whoever is elected.

02:31Again, let's remember the Trump administration previously was actually good for European

02:35defense.

02:36They put more money, more troops in Europe, you know, European reassurance initiative

02:40was actually very strong and very good also for the Baltics.

02:43So I don't expect any surprises.

02:45It's going to be different if that happens, but again, we are there to work with the White House.

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