Hong Kong – World leaders expressed concern on Sunday after an assassination attempt against former US President Donald Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania that left one attendee dead and two seriously injured.
Trump’s campaign said the Republican front-runner was shot above his right ear but was in “good spirits” after being carried off the stage.
The Secret Service said it shot and killed a suspect who attacked from an elevated position outside the rally venue.
As world leaders condemned the attack, a Russian foreign ministry spokesman said US lawmakers should use funds allocated for arms supplies to Ukraine to fund US police “to ensure law and order”.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said on social media platform X that he had witnessed Trump being shot while speaking at a rally and was “heartbroken” to hear that one attendee had died.
“This is a tragedy for the democratic world,” he said.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the “outrageous attack” on the democratic values shared by the United States and Australia.
“In Australia, as in the United States, the very essence and purpose of democracy is to express our views, to debate our differences and to resolve our differences peacefully,” Albanese told reporters at Australia’s Parliament House.
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said on X that he was appalled by the attempt.
“Political violence has no place in our society!” he said.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva called the incident at X unacceptable and said the attack “must be strongly condemned” by all defenders of democracy.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was saddened by the shooting and that his thoughts were with President Trump, those attending the event and people across the country.
“It cannot be emphasized enough that political violence will never be tolerated,” he wrote to X.
China’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that China is concerned about the attack and that President Xi Jinping has already expressed his sympathies to Trump.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said in a statement that his country condemned the attack and hoped that the US election campaign would resume peacefully.
The Salvadoran presidential palace said President Najib Bukele condemned the assassination attempt on President Trump.
“There is no room for violence in a democracy,” the presidential office posted on X.
Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas posted on X that he was shocked by the shooting and his thoughts were with the victims.
French President Emmanuel Macron sent a message to Trump wishing him a speedy recovery. “This is a drama for our democracy. France shares the indignation of the American people,” Macron wrote on X.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb said on Twitter he was shocked by the attack but glad to see Trump in good health. He strongly condemned the attack and all acts of political violence.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz wrote on X that the attack was “despicable” and that such violence is a threat to democracy. “My sympathies go also to the others injured in the attack,” he said.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Sunday that his thoughts and prayers were with President Trump “in these dark hours.”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep concern over the “attack on a friend.”
“I strongly condemn this incident. Violence has no place in politics or in democracy,” he wrote to X.
Iraqi Kurdistan Prime Minister Masrour Barzani condemned the attack “in the strongest terms” and said his thoughts were with the victims of “this senseless act of terror.”
Israeli President Isaac Herzog said on X that he “completely and unequivocally” condemned the assassination attempt on Trump, adding that on behalf of the Israeli people he prayed for Trump’s speedy recovery and that his thoughts were with the victim and his family.
Italian President Sergio Mattarella said in a statement that the attack was of deep concern.
“The re-emergence of violence in the political sphere is a disturbing sign of the deterioration of civil society and a dangerous rejection of confrontation, dialogue and respect for democratic life,” he said.
Meanwhile, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni wished Trump a speedy recovery.
“We must resolutely stand up against any violence that challenges democracy,” Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said at the X.
Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti condemned the assassination attempt on Mr. X.
“Political differences in a democracy must always be expressed through peaceful speech and protest and resolved through free and fair elections.”
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador condemned the attack on Mr X, saying “violence is irrational and inhumane.”
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gaer Storre wrote to X that he was saddened by the attack and condemned all forms of political violence.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called the shooting a “shocking development”. He condemned all violence in politics and said he prayed for the former president’s speedy recovery and good health.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova wrote on her Telegram channel that US lawmakers should redirect funds used to supply arms to Ukraine “to the US police and other services ensuring law and order in the United States.”
South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeo said on Twitter he was appalled by the “abhorrent act” of political violence, adding that South Koreans stood in solidarity with the American people.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who survived an assassination attempt in May, condemned the shooting in a Facebook post, drawing direct comparisons between the two incidents and suggesting the attack on Trump was the result of electioneering by his political opponents.
Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te said his thoughts and prayers were with President Trump regarding X, adding that “political violence in any form will never be tolerated in our democracy.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the assassination attempt on Mr. X and offered his congratulations to President Trump, his family and supporters.
He said he believed “the investigation into the attack will be carried out effectively” to avoid damaging the U.S. elections.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she was deeply shocked by the shooting at X, adding that political violence has no place in a democracy.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Twitter he was relieved to learn Trump was safe and condemned the attack.
“The voice of the people must always come first,” he said.
Also on X, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was horrified to learn of the shooting and that such violence is unjustifiable, adding that he was relieved to hear that Trump was safe.
President Zelenskyy said he wished strength to all those horrified by the incident.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was appalled by the “shocking scenes” at X and sent his heartfelt congratulations 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, said it was a “miracle” that the former president survived the assassination attempt.
“I am grateful that he is safe, but at the same time I am reminded of the tragic fragility of democracy in the face of violence and injustice,” he wrote to X.
British lawmaker Nigel Farage, a friend of Trump’s, said Trump was “deeply upset” and blamed much of the “mainstream media” for arguing against the former president. He told the BBC that it was a “horrifying” incident but that he was somehow not shocked.
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Associated Press journalists around the world contributed to this report.
