My fellow Americans,
Over the past three and a half years, we have made great strides as a nation.
Today, America has the strongest economy in the world. We have made historic investments in rebuilding our nation, lowering prescription drug costs for seniors, and expanding affordable health care to a record number of Americans. We have provided critically needed health care to one million veterans exposed to toxic substances. We have passed the first gun safety law in 30 years. We have appointed the first African American woman to the Supreme Court. And we have passed the most important climate legislation in the history of the world. America has never been better positioned to lead than it is today.
I know that none of this could have been accomplished without you, the American people. Together, we overcame a once-in-a-century pandemic and the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. We have protected and preserved our democracy and revitalized and strengthened our alliances around the world.
It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President. And while it has been my intention to seek re-election, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to step down and focus exclusively on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term.
I will speak to The Nation later this week with more details about my decision.
For now, let me express my deepest gratitude to all those who have worked so hard to see me re-elected. I want to thank Vice President Kamala Harris for being an extraordinary partner in all of this work. And let me express my sincere thanks to the American people for the faith and trust they have placed in me.
Today I believe what I have always believed: that there is nothing that America cannot do, if we do it together. We just have to remember that we are the United States of America.
