In a surprising turn of events, 81-year-old Joe Biden has dropped out of the US presidential election and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic Party’s new nominee — a move that upends the 2024 race for the White House.

Known for his performance in the Obama administration and his blue collar upbringing, Biden became the 46th US president in 2020. At a time when the country was reeling from a pandemic and was deeply divided, Biden promised to bring stability back to America’s divided political system.

However, his promise was marred by his poor foreign policy choices and poorly handled media appearances following the October 7 attack. His inability to put an end to the conflict and stop the increasingly radical Israel over the last few months has left a permanent stain on his reputation.

Biden’s move is a historic first since 1968. He is the first sitting president to give up his party’s nomination for re-election since President Lyndon Johnson in March 1968 — leaving his replacement with less than four months to wage a campaign.

From a young ambitious senator to US president, here are the highlights of Biden’s career.

Additional input from AFP and Reuters