John Adoyi
World leaders have expressed shock and condemnation over the assassination attempt on former United States President, Donald Trump.
Prime Business Africa reports that the attack occurred at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks fired five shots as Trump was delivering a speech.
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He had not been carrying ID, so investigators used DNA to identify him, the FBI said.
He was from Bethel Park in Pennsylvania, about 70km (43 miles) from Butler, the site of the attempted assassination, and appears to have graduated in 2022 from Bethel Park High School, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review newspaper.
State voter records show that Crooks was a registered Republican, according to US media.
He is also reported to have donated $15 to liberal campaign group ActBlue in 2021.
Trump, who is the presumptive presidential candidate of the Republican Party in the upcoming U.S. election survived the attack, and the incident has sparked global reactions emphasising the need for political stability and condemnation of violence.
“The attack on U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump is despicable,” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz wrote on social media, echoing a sentiment shared by many global leaders.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban also took to social media to express his sympathy, saying: “My thoughts and prayers are with President Donald Trump in these dark hours.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who recently returned from NATO conference in the U.S., stated, “I am appalled to learn about the shooting. I extend my wishes for strength to everyone who is horrified by this event. I wish America emerges stronger from this.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office released a statement saying: “We are shocked by the scenes at President Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania. We condemn all forms of political violence in the strongest terms and we send our best wishes to President Trump and his family at this time.”
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed his disgust on social media, stating, “It cannot be overstated — political violence is never acceptable. My thoughts are with former President Trump, those at the event, and all Americans.”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the incident as “concerning and confronting,” writing, “There is no place for violence in the democratic process. I am relieved to hear reports that former President Trump is now safe.”
Mexico’s outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, whom Trump had previously praised, condemned the violence as “irrational and inhumane.”
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro also expressed his condemnation of the attack on social media, wishing Trump good health and long life despite their political differences. “We have been adversaries, but I wish President Trump health and long life, and I repudiate that attack.”
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni hoped for a peaceful electoral campaign ahead, stating, “I hope that the next few months of the electoral campaign will see dialogue and responsibility prevail over hatred and violence.”
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida emphasised the need to resist violence, writing, “We must stand firm against violence that challenges democracy.”
The widespread reactions underline the global consensus against political violence and the importance of democratic processes. Leaders have called for thorough investigations to prevent such incidents from recurring, hoping to maintain stability and peace in political discourse.
