World leaders expressed concern on Sunday over an assassination attempt on former U.S. President Donald Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania that left one participant dead and two others seriously injured.
Trump’s campaign team said the likely Republican nominee was “fine” after being led off the stage, but the shot pierced the upper part of his right ear.
The Secret Service said the suspected gunman was killed because he attacked from an elevated position outside the rally site.
US authorities are still investigating the shooting.
Albania
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said on social media platform X that it was “disturbing” to witness Trump being shot during a speech at a rally and to hear that a participant had died.
“This is a tragedy for the democratic world,” he said.
Australia
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the “inexcusable attack” on the shared democratic values of the United States and Australia.
“In Australia, as in the United States, the nature and purpose of our democracies is that we can express our views, discuss our differences and resolve our differences peacefully,” Albanese told reporters in Australia’s Parliament House.
Austria
In a television interview with X, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer expressed his horror at the attempt.
“Political violence has no place in our society!” he said.
Brazil
Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva described the events at X as unacceptable and said the attack must be “strongly condemned” by all defenders of democracy.
Canada
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was sickened by the shooting and his thoughts were with Trump, those present and all Americans.
“It cannot be stressed enough – political violence is never acceptable,” he wrote on X.
China
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement that China was concerned about the attack and that President Xi Jinping had already expressed his condolences to Trump.
Egypt
Egyptian President Abdelfattah El Sissi stressed in a statement that his country condemns the attack and expressed his wish for a peaceful continuation of the US election campaign.
The saviour
The presidential palace of El Salvador announced that President Nayib Bukele condemned the assassination attempt on Trump.
“There is no place for violence in a democracy,” the president’s office posted on X.
Estonia
Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas wrote on X that she was shocked by the shooting and that her condolences were with the victims.
France
French President Emmanuel Macron wished Trump a speedy recovery. “It is a tragedy for our democracies. France shares the indignation of the American people,” he posted on X.
Finland
Finnish President Alexander Stubb said on X that he was shocked by the attack and was glad to hear that Trump appeared to be OK. He strongly condemned the attack and any act of political violence.
Germany
Chancellor Olaf Scholz wrote on X that the attack was “despicable” and that such acts of violence threaten democracy. “My heartfelt sympathy also goes out to the other people who were injured in the attack,” he said.
Hungary
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said his thoughts and prayers were with Trump “in these dark hours.”
India
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep concern about “the attack on my friend.”
“Condemn the incident in the strongest possible terms. Violence has no place in politics and in democracies,” he wrote on X.
Iraq
Masrour Barzani, the prime minister of Iraq’s Kurdistan region, condemned the attack “in the strongest possible terms” and said on X that his thoughts were with the victims of “this senseless act of terror.”
Israel
Israel’s President Isaac Herzog said on X that he condemned the assassination attempt on Trump “in the strongest and clearest terms” and wished him a speedy recovery on behalf of the entire Israeli people. His thoughts were with the victims and their families.
Italy
Italian President Sergio Mattarella said in a statement that the attack was a cause for earnest concern.
“The violence that is resurfacing in the political sphere is a worrying symptom of the disintegration of the civil fabric and of the dangerous rejection of confrontation, dialogue and respect for democratic life,” he said.
Meanwhile, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni wished Trump a speedy recovery.
Japan
“We must firmly oppose any form of violence that challenges democracy,” said Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at X.
Kosovo
Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti condemned the assassination attempt on X.
“Political differences in a democracy must always be expressed through peaceful forms of speech and protest and resolved through free and fair elections.”
Mexico
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador condemned the attack on X, saying: “Violence is irrational and inhuman.”
Norway
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre wrote on X that he was saddened by the attack and condemned political violence in all its forms.
Pakistan
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called the shooting a “shocking development.” He said he condemned all violence in politics and wished the former president a speedy recovery and good health.
Russia
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Russia strongly condemns “any use of violence during the political struggle” and expressed its condolences to the family of the deceased. When asked whether Putin would call Trump, Peskov said that to his knowledge there were no such plans.
“After numerous attempts to push candidate Trump out of the political arena – initially through legal means, courts, prosecutors, attempts to politically discredit and compromise the candidate – it was clear to everyone outside that his life was in danger,” he said.
Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, wrote on her Telegram channel on Sunday that American politicians should apply the money they spend on arms deliveries to Ukraine “to finance the American police and other services designed to ensure law and order in the United States.”
South Korea
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said on X that he was appalled by “the heinous act” of political violence. He added that the Korean people stood in solidarity with the Americans.
Slovakia
Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico, who himself survived an assassination attempt in May, condemned the shooting in a Facebook post, drawing direct parallels between the two incidents and suggesting that the attack on Trump was the result of a campaign by his political opponents.
Taiwan
Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te said his thoughts and prayers were with Trump on the matter, adding that political violence of any kind was never acceptable “in our democracies.”
Turkey
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the assassination attempt on X and conveyed his best wishes to Trump, his family and supporters.
He said he was confident that “the investigation into the attack will be conducted effectively” so as not to affect the US elections.
The European Commission
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed her deep shock at the shooting at X-Platz, adding that political violence has no place in a democracy.
The Philippines
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. told X he was relieved to hear that Trump was OK and condemned the attack.
“The voice of the people must always be the strongest,” he said.
Ukraine
Also on X, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was horrified to learn of the shooting and said such violence was unjustifiable, adding that he was relieved to learn Trump was protected.
Zelenskyy wished strength to all those who were horrified by the events.
Great Britain
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told US broadcaster X that he was appalled by the “shocking scenes” and conveyed his best wishes to Trump and his family.
“Political violence in any form has no place in our society,” he said.
Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, a close ally of Trump, called it a “miracle” that the former president escaped the assassination attempt.
“As we give thanks for his rescue, we are once again reminded of the tragic fragility of democracy in the face of violence and irrationality,” he wrote on X.
British MP Nigel Farage, a friend of Trump, said he was “very upset” and tried to shift much of the blame onto the “mainstream media,” which he said was against the former president. He told the BBC it was an “appalling” incident, but somehow he was not shocked by it.
