World leaders condemn assassination attempt on former U.S. President Donald Trump
World leaders have condemned the shooting of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
Antonio Guterres, the United Nations Secretary-General, “unequivocally” condemned what the FBI has described as an assassination attempt.
“The Secretary-General unequivocally condemns this act of political violence. He sends his best wishes to President Trump for a speedy recovery,” Guterres’ spokesman Stephan Dujarric said in a statement.
Trump was speaking at a campaign rally on July 13 in western Pennsylvania when several shots were fired. He said later that he had been hit in the ear by a bullet and slightly wounded.
Two people were killed, including the suspected shooter, and two other spectators were wounded. The FBI said it was investigating the shooting as an attempted assassination.
Law enforcement officials have identified the shooter as a 20-year-old local man and have recovered a semi-automatic rifle at the scene.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed her shock at the incident. “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.”
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said 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,” he said in a post to X.
Josep Borrell, the European Union’s top diplomat, strongly condemned the attack.
“Once again, we are witnessing unacceptable acts of violence against political representatives,” he wrote on X.
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 U.S. president.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who has had a fraught relationship with Trump in the past, said he was appalled to hear of the shooting.
“Such violence has no justification and no place anywhere in the world. Never should violence prevail,” Zelenskiy said in a post to X.
“We pray for his safety and speedy recovery,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a post to X.