Republican candidate Donald Trump is surrounded by secret service agents as he is taken off the stage at a campaign event at Butler Farm Show Inc. in Butler, Pennsylvania, July 13, 2024. The suspected shooter who wounded Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at a rally is dead, US media reported Saturday, along with one bystander. - AFP
WASHINGTON (dpa): World leaders reacted with shock on Sunday after the attempted assassination of former US president Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.
Trump was speaking at a rally north of Pittsburgh when several shots were fired. The Republican Party candidate, who is running in November's presidential election against incumbent President Joe Biden, was hit in the ear and escorted off stage by Secret Service agents.
A rally attendee was killed and two were critically injured in the incident, the US Secret Service said, while the suspected shooter was also killed.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz wished Donald Trump a speedy recovery, writing on the social media platform X that "such acts of violence threaten democracy."
He added: "The attack on US presidential candidate Donald Trump is despicable. I wish him a speedy recovery. My thoughts are also with all of those who were affected by the attack."
French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the attack on Trump as a "tragedy for our democracies."
"France shares the shock and outrage of the American people," Macron wrote on X, wishing Trump a speedy recovery.
Chinese President Xi Jinping "has expressed his condolences to Donald Trump," according to a brief statement from the Foreign Ministry in Beijing. China is "concerned about the shooting," it added.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres also "unequivocally condemned" the incident as an act of political violence, according to spokesman Stéphane Dujarric in New York. Guterres sent Trump his best wishes for a speedy recovery, Dujarric said.
The reaction from Moscow has been more muted.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the attempted assassination was a consequence of Washington's "policy of fomenting hatred."
The US should take stock of its policies on political opponents, countries and nations, said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. She added that the US should focus on its internal problems instead of supplying weapons to Ukraine.
Earlier, Josep Borrell, the European Union's top diplomat, said he was shocked and strongly condemned the attack.
"Once again, we are witnessing unacceptable acts of violence against political representatives," he wrote on X.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said 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."
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said his thoughts and prayers were with Trump "in these dark hours," he wrote on X.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his wife Sara were shocked by the attack.
"We pray for his safety and speedy recovery," he posted on X.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on X he was "appalled" to learn of the shooting.
"Such violence has no justification and no place anywhere in the world. Never should violence prevail," he wrote.
"I am relieved to learn that Donald Trump is now safe and wish him a speedy recovery. My condolences go out to the close ones of this attack’s victim, a rally attendee," Zelensky said.
"I extend my wishes for strength to everyone who is horrified by this event. I wish America emerges stronger from this."
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wrote on X that he was "sickened" by the shooting.
"It cannot be overstated - political violence is never acceptable. My thoughts are with former President Trump, those at the event, and all Americans."
In Taipei, President Lai Ching-te wished Trump a swift recovery.
"Political violence of any form is never acceptable in our democracies. I offer my sincere condolences to the victims affected by the attack," he wrote on X.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said in a statement it was with "great relief" that Trump was fine and well.
"Together with all democracy loving peoples around the world, we condemn all forms of political violence. The voice of the people must always remain supreme." - dpa
