HONG KONG — World leaders on Sunday expressed alarm over an assassination attempt targeting former US President Donald Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania that left one attendee dead and two seriously injured, with many condemning the violence that shocked the world.
Trump’s campaign said the presumptive Republican nominee was doing “well” after being taken from the scene, although the bullet pierced the upper part of his right ear.
The Secret Service said it killed the suspected gunman who attacked from a high position outside the rally site.
As heads of state condemned the attack, a Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman said US lawmakers should use money allocated to supply arms to Ukraine “to fund American police” to “ensure law and order.”
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said on social media platform X that it was “heartbreaking” to see Trump shot while speaking at a rally and to learn that an attendee had died.
“It is a tragedy for the democratic world,” he said.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the assassination attempt, calling it an inexcusable attack on the shared democratic values of the United States and Australia.
“In Australia, as in the United States, the essence and purpose of our democracies is that we can express our views, debate our disagreements and resolve our differences peacefully,” Albanese told reporters at the Australian Parliament.
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said on social media platform X that he was appalled by the attempt.
“Political violence has no place in our society! My thoughts go out to all the victims of this attack!” he said.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said on X that the attack must be “firmly repudiated” by all defenders of democracy and political dialogue, calling the incident unacceptable.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau posted a message on X saying he was sickened by the shooting and that his thoughts were with Trump, those at the event and all Americans.
“It cannot be said enough: political violence is never acceptable,” he wrote.
China’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that China was concerned about the attack and that President Xi Jinping had already extended greetings to Trump.
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala strongly condemned the attack and wished Trump a speedy recovery.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi expressed his concern and stressed his country’s condemnation of the attack in a statement and said he hoped that the US election campaigns would resume in a peaceful and healthy atmosphere, free from any aspect of terrorism, violence or hatred,” he said.
El Salvador’s presidential palace said President Nayib Bukele condemned “the assassination attempt” against Trump.
“There is no place for violence in a democracy,” the president’s office said in a press release posted on X.
Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said on X that she was shocked by the shooting and that her thoughts were with the victims. “Political violence in any form cannot be justified,” she wrote.
French President Emmanuel Macron wished Donald Trump a speedy recovery. “This is a tragedy for our democracies. France shares the indignation of the American people,” he wrote on X.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb said on X that the attack had shocked him and that he was glad to hear that Trump seemed to be doing well. He strongly condemned the attack and any act of political violence.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on X that the attack was “despicable” and that such violent acts threatened democracy. “My sympathetic thoughts also go to the other people injured in the attack,” he said.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on X that his thoughts and prayers were with Trump “in these dark hours.”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on X that he was deeply concerned about the “attack on my friend”.
“We strongly condemn this incident. Violence has no place in politics and democracies,” he said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the victim’s family, the injured, and the American people.”
Masrour Barzani, the prime minister of Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, condemned the attack on unknown individuals “in the strongest terms”, saying his thoughts were with the victims of “this senseless act of terrorism”.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog said on X that he “totally and unequivocally” condemned the assassination attempt on Trump and wished him a speedy recovery on behalf of all the Israeli people, adding that their thoughts were with the victims and their families.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni wished Trump a speedy recovery and said in a statement that she hoped “the coming months of the election campaign will see dialogue and responsibility prevail over hatred and violence.”
“We must firmly oppose any form of violence that challenges democracy. I pray for the speedy recovery of former President Trump,” Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on X.
Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti condemned the assassination attempt on unknown persons.
“In a democracy, political disagreements should always be expressed through peaceful forms of speech and protest, and resolved through free and fair elections.”
Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics also said on X that he was shocked by the attack, adding that political violence was unacceptable and deplorable.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda said on X that he was shocked and dismayed to learn of the shooting and strongly condemned this act of political violence.
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador denounced the attack on X and said that “violence is irrational and inhumane.”
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre wrote on X that he was saddened by the attack, condemning political violence in all its forms.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called the shooting a “shocking development.” He condemned all violence in politics and wished the former president a speedy recovery and good health.
Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, said on her Telegram channel that US lawmakers should use the money they use to supply weapons to Ukraine “to fund the American police and other services that should ensure law and order in the United States.”
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said on X that he was appalled by “this heinous act” of political violence. He added that the Korean people stood in solidarity with the Americans.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who himself survived an assassination attempt in May, condemned the shooting in a Facebook post. He drew direct parallels between the two incidents, suggesting that the attack on Trump was the result of a campaign by his political opponents.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said his country condemned “this terrible attack” and that its thoughts were with the victims and their families.
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te said his thoughts and prayers were with Trump on X, adding that political violence in any form was never acceptable “in our democracies.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the assassination attempt on the unknown person, offering his best wishes to Trump, his family and supporters.
He said he believed “the investigation into the attack will be conducted effectively” so as not to compromise the US election.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she was deeply shocked by the shooting of X, adding that political violence has no place in a democracy.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on X that he was relieved to hear that Trump was okay and condemned the attack.
“The voice of the people must always remain supreme,” he said.
On X, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was dismayed to hear of the shooting, saying there was no justification for such violence. He added that he was relieved to hear that Trump was safe.
Zelensky wished courage to all those who were horrified by the event.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on X that he was appalled by the “shocking scenes” and sent his best wishes to Trump and his family.
“Political violence in any form has no place in our societies and my thoughts go out to all the victims of this attack,” he said.
Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, a close Trump ally, said it was a “miracle” that the former president escaped the assassination attempt.
“As we give thanks for his safety, we are reminded once again of the tragic fragility of democracy in the face of violence and unreason,” he wrote on X.
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Associated Press journalists from around the world contributed to this report.
