Former President Barack Obama praised President Joe Biden after he decided Sunday to suspend his reelection campaign.

In a lengthy statement, the 44th president described President Biden as “one of America’s most consequential presidents” and a “dear friend.” Going a step further, former President Obama said that his announcement Sunday to drop out shows “he’s a patriot of the highest order.”

“I also know Joe has never backed down from a fight. For him to look at the political landscape and decide that he should pass the torch to a new nominee is surely one of the toughest in his life,” former President Obama wrote. “But I know he wouldn’t make this decision unless he believed it was right for America.”

The announcement is a “testament to Joe Biden’s love of country” and a “historic example” of “putting the interests of the American people ahead of his own that future generations of leaders will do well to follow,” the former president added.

“Sixteen years ago, when I began my search for a vice president, I knew about Joe’s remarkable career in public service,” he also said, referring to President Biden’s tenure as his vice president. “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.”

In a follow-up statement on Sunday, President Biden said he is supporting Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee for president. Former President Bill Clinton and his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, also endorsed Ms. Harris.

But former President Obama, who retains considerable influence in the Democratic Party, made no mention of the vice president. He did not publicly endorse anyone to become his party’s nominee in his statement.

Instead, he predicted that an “outstanding nominee” for president will emerge in the coming days and that he has “confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to create a process” to find that person.

“I believe that Joe Biden’s vision of a generous, prosperous, and united America that provides opportunity for everyone will be on full display at the Democratic Convention in August. And I expect that every single one of us are prepared to carry that message of hope and progress forward into November and beyond,” former President Obama said.

Democratic National Convention chairman Jamie Harrison said in a statement that in the near future, “the Party will undertake a transparent and orderly process to move forward as a united Democratic Party with a candidate who can defeat Donald Trump in November.”

“This process will be governed by established rules and procedures of the Party. Our delegates are prepared to take seriously their responsibility in swiftly delivering a candidate to the American people,” he said.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, both Democrats, also did not offer their endorsements for president, and neither did former longtime House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).

Clinton Endorsement

“We are honored to join the President in endorsing Vice President Harris and will do whatever we can to support her,” the Clintons wrote in their joint statement.

They also warned about a possible second Trump administration, suggesting that a Democrat should be president to fill any potential U.S. Supreme Court vacancies.

A number of Democrats, including Sens. Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Mazie Hirono (D-Ill.) publicly backed Ms. Harris in statements on Sunday. Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.), an influential House Democrat, also backed the vice president.

Former President Trump, meanwhile, told CNN on Sunday he believes Ms. Harris will be easier to defeat than President Biden in November’s election. Former President Trump and his campaign were also critical of the two incumbents on social media, while saying President Biden is unfit to continue serving as president

Former presidents George W. Bush, a Republican, and Jimmy Carter, a Democrat, had not publicly responded to President Biden’s announcement by Sunday evening.