(Washington) World leaders on Sunday expressed outrage over the attempted assassination of former U.S. President Donald Trump, who was shot and wounded at a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.
Read “Disgust and Condemnation on the Canadian Scene”
The former White House resident was hit in the right ear. The alleged shooter and a spectator were killed, two others were seriously injured.
UN/NATO
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned “unequivocally this act of political violence.”
“Political violence has no place in our democracies. NATO allies stand united to defend our freedom and our values,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on X.
Europe
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell condemned the attack. “Once again, we are witnessing unacceptable acts of violence against political representatives.”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, “shocked by the shooting”, said that “political violence has no place in a democracy”.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called the assassination attempt “despicable,” saying political violence poses a threat to democracy.
For French President Emmanuel Macron, “this is a tragedy for our democracies. France shares the shock and indignation of the American people.”
The new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed his dismay: “Political violence in any form has no place in our societies.”
His Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban sent “thoughts and prayers” to Donald Trump “in these dark hours”.
The head of the ultraconservative Italian government Giorgia Meloni expressed “her solidarity” with Trump, asking that “dialogue and responsibility prevail over hatred and violence.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also expressed his “dismay”. “Such violence has no justification and no place in this world. Violence must never prevail.”
Moscow called on Washington to take “inventory of its policies of incitement to hatred” against “political opponents, countries and peoples”, using the assassination attempt to denounce US support for Kyiv.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev “strongly condemned this act of political violence.”
In Madrid, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez also condemned the attack “with the greatest firmness”, saying that “violence and hatred have no place in a democracy”.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis responded to X by saying he was “appalled” and that “political violence is unacceptable in our democratic societies.”
The attempted assassination of Trump is a “moment of shock not only for the United States, but also for the entire free and democratic world,” said Polish President Andrzej Duda, who “thanked God” for having “saved Trump’s life.”
His Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, strongly condemned “the assassination attempt against the 45e President and presidential candidate of the United States »
The heads of government of the Nordic countries have all condemned the attack on the former head of the White House, denouncing political violence in all its forms.
Americas
“Everyone must condemn” these shootings, declared US President Joe Biden, who spoke in the evening with his rival in the November presidential election.
PHOTO SAMUEL CORUM, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Joe Biden spoke from Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, after his opponent Donald Trump was injured at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.
Argentina’s ultra-liberal President Javier Milei, for his part, blamed the “international left” and its “harmful ideology”. “Fearing losing the elections, they resort to terrorism to impose their retrograde and authoritarian program,” he said.
Brazilian leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva called on advocates of democracy and political dialogue to “strongly condemn” the attack on Donald Trump.
The Costa Rican government denounced an “unacceptable act”: “as leaders of democracy and peace, we condemn all forms of violence.”
Chilean President Gabriel Boric said that “violence is a threat to democracies and it weakens living together. We must all reject it.”
“Despite our deep ideological and political differences, violence, wherever it comes from, must always be rejected by everyone,” Bolivian President Luis Arce said.
Asia
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday expressed “compassion and sympathy” to Donald Trump.
“China is closely following the situation regarding the shooting of former President Donald Trump,” a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in a statement.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida called for “standing firm in the face of any form of violence that challenges democracy,” also wishing Donald Trump a “speedy recovery.”
His Indian counterpart Narendra Modi said he was “very concerned”. “I strongly condemn this incident. Violence has no place in politics and in democracies. We wish him a speedy recovery,” he said.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the attack “worrying,” expressing relief that Trump was safe. “There is no place for violence in the democratic process,” he said.
Comments echoed by neighbouring New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Luxon: “No country should have to face such political violence.”
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te sent his “sincere condolences” to the victims, saying in turn that “political violence in all its forms [n’était] never acceptable in our democracies.”
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos said he was relieved that former President Donald Trump was “doing well” after the assassination attempt. “With all democracy-loving people around the world, we condemn all forms of political violence. The voice of the people must always remain supreme,” Marcos said.
Middle East
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrote that he and his wife Sara were “shocked by the apparent attack on President Trump.” “We pray for his safety and speedy recovery.”