President Marcos praises Biden's 'genuine statesmanship' after withdrawal

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday praised U.S. President Joe Biden's decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race, calling it a demonstration of genuine statesmanship.

Marcos made the remarks in a social media post following Biden’s decision not to seek reelection amid concerns from Democrats about his mental sharpness and his ability to defeat Republican candidate and former President Donald Trump.

Biden has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the party's candidate to succeed him. The 81-year-old American leader announced that he would continue to serve as president and commander-in-chief until his term ends in January 2025 and will address the nation this week.

"President Biden's decision to withdraw from his candidacy is a demonstration of genuine statesmanship. We wish him well for the rest of his presidency and for all his future endeavors," Marcos wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

"We thank him for his constant and unwavering support for the Philippines during a delicate and difficult time," he added.

Marcos and Biden have met at least three times over the past three years: first in New York in September 2022, followed by a bilateral meeting in Washington, DC, in May 2023. Their most recent encounter was in April this year during a trilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio in Washington, DC.