Former President Barack Obama has publicly endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president. He and his wife Michelle, previously notable holdouts, revealed that they had privately offered their backing in a phone call just days ago.

Former US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle publicly endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris's White House bid in a video lasting about one minute. The endorsement came shortly after Harris launched her campaign to secure the Democratic Party's nomination for the upcoming November election.

"We called our friend Kamala Harris earlier this week," Obama stated in a tweet on Friday. "We told her we believe she'll make an outstanding President of the United States, and she has our unwavering support," he added, posting on the social media platform X.

The video clip, shared in the tweet, captured Harris receiving a private phone call from the Obamas.

"We wanted to let you know, Michelle and I couldn't be prouder to endorse you and to do everything we can to help you succeed in this election and become the next President," Obama told Harris.

"I'm so proud of you. This is going to be historic," Michelle Obama told Harris.

Harris expressed her appreciation for their endorsement and their friendship, speaking into her phone and smiling broadly.

"Thank you both so much. It means a lot. And we're going to enjoy this journey together," Harris responded.

Initially, Obama had refrained from publicly endorsing Harris, even as President Joe Biden, who exited the race on Sunday, backed her as his successor.

Obama, the first Black US president, remains one of the Democratic Party's most popular figures more than a decade after his last election. Initially, he reportedly chose not to publicly endorse anyone to avoid influencing the party's nominee selection process.

At 59 years old, Harris emerged as the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination after weeks of uncertainty regarding Biden, 81, who withdrew from contention but still holds the presidency. Biden's lackluster debate performance against former President Donald Trump raised concerns about his mental acuity and highlighted his persistently low polling numbers.