Leaders across the globe have condemned the recent attack on the United States of America’s Republican presidential candidate, Donald Trump, on Saturday, July 13, 2024, by a 20-year-old suspected assailant.
While experts say the incident may have an effect on the outcome of the incoming US election campaign amid heightened concerns about escalating political violence, leaders who took to their various social media pages described it as sickening and condemnable.
Antonio Guterres, the United Nations Secretary-General, “unequivocally” condemned what the FBI has described as an assassination attempt. The attack has sparked fears of further political violence as the election campaign progresses.
The attempt on Trump’s life is the most recent high-profile assassination attack in the US after the killing of John F. Kennedy by Lee Harvey Oswald in 1963.
Speaking during a campaign rally on Saturday, in western Pennsylvania, shots were fired at Trump by the assailant, identified as Thomas Crooks. He was immediately gunned down by a Secret Service sniper.
Two other people died from the shootout while former president Trump sustained an injury in his right ear from the assailant’s bullets.
According to developing reports, law enforcement officials have since swarmed the home of the alleged shooter and reportedly recovered a semiautomatic rifle at the scene.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that she was “deeply shocked” by the shooting.
“Political violence has no place in a democracy,” she wrote on X. “I wish Donald Trump a speedy recovery and offer my condolences to the family of the innocent victim.”
For Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the violence recorded at Trump’s campaign is sickening.
Trudeau said in a post on X, “It cannot be overstated — political violence is never acceptable. My thoughts are with former President Trump, those at the event, and all Americans.”
Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policies conveyed that he was shocked and strongly condemned the attack.
“Once again, we are witnessing unacceptable acts of violence against political representatives,” Borrell wrote on his X account.
In addition, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni pledged “solidarity” with Trump, while French President Emmanuel Macron wished the Republican candidate a “speedy recovery”.
Macron also described the shooting as “a tragedy for our democracies.”
He said: “France shares the shock and indignation of the American people.”
Lending his voice and sympathizing with the American people, German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz said such an act is a threat to democracy.
On X, Scholz said, “The attack on U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump is despicable. Such acts of violence threaten democracy.”
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who visited Trump at his home in Florida earlier in the week, said his thoughts and prayers were with the former US president.
Surprisingly, Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who has had a difficult relationship with Trump in the past said he was appalled to hear of the violence.
“Such violence has no justification and no place anywhere in the world. Never should violence prevail,” Zelenskiy said in a post to X.
Also, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a post to X, “We pray for his safety and speedy recovery.”
