U.S. President Joe Biden spoke to reporters after a wreath-laying ceremony at the Aisne-Marne American Military Cemetery in Belleau, France, on June 9, 2024.
Elisabeth Franz | Reuters
Republican lawmakers are calling for President Joe Biden to resign after he announced Sunday that he would not seek reelection.
“If Joe Biden is unfit to run for president, then he is unfit to serve,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said in a post on X after Biden announced his resignation. “He must resign immediately.”
Other Republicans, including House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik and the Republican Senatorial Committee, echoed Johnson’s message, with some even suggesting they might invoke the 25th Amendment.
Biden, 81, had faced calls to drop out of the race after his stammering and raspy voice during a June debate raised concerns about his age.
But the president made no mention of those concerns or his age in his announcement, and made clear he intended to serve out the remaining six months of his term.
“I believe it is in the best interest of my party and my country for me to step down and focus on fulfilling the duties of my presidency for the remainder of my term,” Biden wrote. Letter sent to X.
After Biden’s annual physical in February, White House physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor said the president is “a healthy, active and robust 81-year-old man who remains physically capable of successfully carrying out the duties of the office of the presidency.”
Biden briefly visited a doctor after the June 27 debate. He told Democratic governors The following week he was told he was in good health.
The president is currently isolating in Delaware after testing positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday. O’Connor said Sunday that Biden’s condition has “significantly” improved.
“The President continues to tolerate treatment well and will continue on Paxlobidi as planned,” O’Connor said. Written in the latest update“He continues to carry out all of his duties as president.”
Republican calls for Biden to resign began even before the president announced he would not seek reelection.
“Once Joe Biden ends his reelection campaign, how can he justify remaining in office?,” Sen. J.D. Vance, Trump’s running mate, said on The X Sunday morning. “Not running for reelection would be a clear admission that President Trump was right all along that Biden was not mentally strong enough to serve as commander in chief.”
But not all Republicans called for Biden to resign. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, in statements, stopped short of saying Biden should not serve out the rest of his term.
