World Leaders React to Biden Dropping Out
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.
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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.