Former Vice President Joe Biden clinched the Democratic presidential nomination on Friday, officially setting the stage for a contentious general election fight with President Trump this November.

The former vice president hit the delegate threshold after most recently winning a series of primaries Tuesday night across the country. The Associated Press projected that Biden had 1,995 delegates to the national convention, more than the 1,991 needed to clinch the nomination.

"It was an honor to compete alongside one of the most talented groups of candidates the Democratic party has ever fielded — and I am proud to say that we are going into this general election a united party," Biden said in a statement Friday.

"I am going to spend every day between now and Nov. 3 fighting to earn the votes of Americans all across this great country so that, together, we can win the battle for the soul of this nation, and make sure that as we rebuild our economy, everyone comes along."