Vermont senator Bernie Sanders, who ended his campaign to become the Democratic candidate for the US presidential election last week, has now endorsed his former rival Joe Biden for the nomination.
In a live split-screen video aired online alongside Biden, Sanders called upon Americans to come together to defeat Donald Trump.
Sanders labelled Trump “the most dangerous president in the modern history” of the US.
It comes as President Trump claimed “total” power to alter coronavirus lockdown measures across the country, rights which Trump claims are outlined in “numerous provisions” within the US founding charter.
However, this directly contradicts the views of state governors and legal experts, who say that the president does not have the capacity to overturn a public health order imposed at state or local level.
The president was claiming that he had the authority to overrule state-by-state social distancing rules, as ten states plan to ease their lockdown measures.
Sanders said on the live video: "Today I am asking all Americans - I'm asking every Democrat, I'm asking every independent, I'm asking a lot of Republicans - to come together in this campaign to support your [Biden’s] candidacy which I endorse.
"It's imperative that all of us work together."
Biden paid tribute to Sanders for the endorsement, saying: "You've put the interests of this nation and the need to beat Donald Trump above all else. As you say - 'Not me, us'.”
Biden then appealed to Sanders’ supporters for their backing, saying: "I see you, I hear you, I understand the urgency of what it is that we have to get done in this country, and I hope you'll join us."
Biden informed supporters that he and Sanders were in the process of forming policy working groups which would address key issues such as climate change, health care and college fees, all of which were central to Sanders' campaign and had won over the vast majority of younger voters.
