Several Republicans jumped at the chance to demand President Joe Biden’s immediate resignation after he announced that he won’t run for re-election. They argue that if he’s deemed unfit to run, he should also be deemed unfit to stay in office.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., believes Biden should resign immediately. He argued that if Biden is considered unfit to run for President, he is also unfit to continue serving in the role.
New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, the conference chair and fourth-ranking House Republican, shared that if Biden cannot run for re-election, he is also incapable of serving as President and should step down immediately.
This perspective was broadly echoed within the Republican Party. Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas, and Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., chair of the Senate GOP campaign arm, expressed similar concerns. Daines formally called for Biden’s resignation out of concern for national security, suggesting that if Biden is unfit to run for re-election, he is also unfit to fulfill the presidential duties.
Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., proposed that Biden be removed from office using the 25th Amendment, which addresses presidential succession.
Far-right Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., questioned Biden’s ability to continue serving as commander-in-chief and suggested he should resign.
Mitch McConnell, the Senate Minority Leader, criticized the Democrats for going against the voters’ choice of Biden as their nominee but did not support calls for Biden’s early resignation.
Johnson also criticized the Democratic Party for Biden’s decision to withdraw and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris as the new candidate, arguing that the party has invalidated the votes of millions and undermined democratic principles.
Trump’s allies emphasized that Trump’s campaign is not only against Biden but against the entire Democratic system and its policies. They suggested that Democrats have staged a “coup” against Biden and framed Trump’s efforts as a battle against the broader destruction caused by Democratic policies.
Meanwhile, many Democrats supported Biden’s decision to withdraw from the 2024 race but did not call for his resignation from office. Their concerns focused on his declining communication skills and campaign performance, particularly after a poor debate.