President Joe Biden made the decision to exit the presidential race on Saturday night, with his closest aides Steve Ricchetti and Mike Donilon being informed and tasked with preparing the public announcement. Surprisingly, Vice President Kamala Harris was not informed until Sunday, as per a source.
Prior to the announcement, Biden and Harris had multiple conversations on Sunday. The President, who is still recovering from a recent Covid-19 diagnosis, spent the weekend at his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, alongside First Lady Jill Biden.
On Saturday night, Biden requested two of his top advisers to begin drafting the letter and coordinating the announcement, indicating a well-thought-out process behind his decision.