Obama praises Biden as a 'patriot' following the president's withdrawal from 2024 election

Former President Barack Obama called President Joe Biden a patriot after the president announced he would be dropping his 2024 reelection bid. 

"Joe Biden has been one of America’s most consequential presidents, as well as a dear friend and partner to me," Obama wrote in a statement posted on Medium. "Today, we’ve also been reminded — again — that he’s a patriot of the highest order."

Biden, who served under Obama as vice president, announced Sunday that he is dropping out of the 2024 presidential race. 

He went on to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for the Democratic presidential nominee. 

"Sixteen years ago, when I began my search for a vice president, I knew about Joe’s remarkable career in public service," Obama's statement continued. "But what I came to admire even more was his character — his deep empathy and hard-earned resilience; his fundamental decency and belief that everyone counts."

Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also praised Biden following his announcement. 

Meanwhile, GOP officials such as Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., and Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., have called for Biden to resign as president.