President Joe Biden Tests Negative For COVID-19, Expected To Speak At White House
By Kelly Coffey-Behrens on July 23, 2024 at 2:15 PM EDT
On July 17, the President of the United States, Joe Biden, tested positive for COVID-19 just hours after he was enjoying an afternoon lunch in Las Vegas. He has not made a public appearance since, despite announcing his removal from the 2024 presidential run.
Americans can expect to see President Joe Biden speak from the White House on Wednesday, as he has tested negative for COVID-19.
President Joe Biden Tested Positive For COVID-19 Last Week
As The Blast reported, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that the 81-year-old tested positive "following his first event in Las Vegas."
"He is vaccinated and boosted and he is experiencing mild symptoms. He will be returning to Delaware where he will self-isolate and will continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time," Jean-Pierre said. "The White House will provide regular updates on the President's status as he continues to carry out the full duties of the office while in isolation."
Now, nearly one week later, Biden has tested negative.
The President Of The United States Heads Back To D.C.
According to MSNBC's Kyle Griffin, President Joe Biden has tested negative for COVID-19 and is en route to D.C. He is expected to address the nation from the White House on Wednesday, July 24 at 8 p.m. ET.
This comes just 48 hours after Biden announced he would be dropping out of the 2024 presidential race as he "believes it is in the interest of my party and the country to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as president."
“Let me express my heartfelt appreciation to the American people for the faith and trust you have placed in me,” he added in his statement on Sunday. “I believe today what I always have: that there is nothing America can't do - when we do it together. We just have to remember we are the United States of America."
Kamala Harris Publicly Addresses The Nation
While he has yet to make a public appearance since announcing his removal from the presidential run, he did dial in as Kamala Harris was addressing the nation on Monday to offer his support to Harris.
“The name has changed at the top of the ticket, but the mission hasn’t changed at all,” Biden said via video chat, promising he was “not going anywhere” and plans to campaign on Harris’ behalf.
He later remarked: “I’m watching you kid. I love you.”
Joe Biden Steps Down From Re-Election Run
On Sunday, Joe Biden addressed the nation by releasing a letter to his X account, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
“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 one to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term,” he said in his letter.
“Today, America has the strongest economy in the world. We’ve made historic investments in rebuilding our Nation, in lowering prescription drug costs for seniors, and in expanding affordable health care to a record number of Americans,” he said. “We’ve provided critically needed care to a million veterans exposed to toxic substances.”
”We’ve provided critically needed care to a million veterans exposed to toxic substances. Passed the first gun safety law in 30 years. Appointed the first African American woman to the Supreme Court. And passed the most significant climate legislation in the history of the world,” Biden continued. “America has never been better positioned to lead than we are today.”
Kamala Harris Has 'Found Her Voice'
In addition to Joe Biden, several others have endorsed Kamala Harris as the new Democratic candidate for the 2024 presidential race.
“Look, there’s been no roadmap for Kamala Harris,” Donna Brazile, a former Democratic National Committee chair, said, per The Associated Press. “But she’s really found her voice and has been going non-stop since the 2022 midterm campaign, especially. I think she’s become a generational figure and proven she can bring ... leadership to the party and the country.”
Just hours after Biden dropped out, Kamala Harris's campaign raised millions, setting the record for the single biggest day for online Democratic donations since the 2020 election.
