World leaders react to deadly Trump rally shooting

World leaders have reacted to the wounding of Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump in a suspected assassination attempt against the former US president at an election rally.

The shooting, which took place at a Pennsylvania rally on Saturday, led to the death of two, one bystander and the gunman, and left two other spectators critically wounded.

Following the shooting, leaders from the West spoke out against political violence in Western society, condemning such “unacceptable” acts.

The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said, “Once again, we are witnessing unacceptable acts of violence against political representatives.”

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said, “Political violence in any form has no place in our societies,” adding that he was “appalled by the shocking scenes” at the Trump election rally.

“There is no place for violence in the democratic process,” Australia’s Anthony Albanese said, voicing concern over the shooting. New Zealand’s Prime Minister Chris Luxon echoed such views, writing “no country should encounter such political violence.”

“[W]e must stand firm against any form of violence that challenges democracy,” Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said.

Italy’s right-wing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said she was “following with apprehension” updates from the Trump rally shooting, hoping that “in the following months of the electoral campaign, dialogue and responsibility can prevail over hate and violence.”

Argentina’s right-wing President Javier Milei blamed the shooting on the “international left”. “In panic of losing at the polls, they resort to terrorism to impose their backward and authoritarian agenda.”

Trump injured during shooting incident being investigated as ‘assassination attempt’

Former US president and current presidential candidate, Donald Trump is injured during a shooting incident happening at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

However, the shooting at the rally was condemned by the left, as well.

Such acts “must be strongly condemned by all defenders of democracy and political dialogue,” Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said.

Also, Costa Rica’s presidency condemned “this unacceptable act”. “As a leader in democracy and peace, we reject all forms of violence.”

Chile’s President Gabriel Boric also condemned the shooting. “Violence is a threat to democracies and weakens our life together. We must all reject it.”

“Violence has no place in politics and democracies,” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said.

Russia's presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov voiced the Kremlin's strong condemnation of the shooting. Moscow “strongly condemns any manifestation of violence as part of the political struggle.”

"After numerous attempts to eliminate candidate Trump from the political arena first using legal tools ... political discredit, it was obvious to all outside observers that his life is in danger."

UN chief Antonio Guterres “unequivocally” condemned the shooting, his spokesman said. “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.

“Such acts of violence threaten democracy,” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz wrote on X. “The attack on US presidential candidate Donald Trump is despicable. I wish him a speedy recovery.”

Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, also condemned the attack. “I am deeply shocked by the shooting that took place during former President Trump’s campaign rally,” she wrote, likewise on X. “Political violence has no place in a democracy.”

Meanwhile, Trump is said to be in good health having been released from the hospital after the suspected assassination attempt left him slightly wounded after a shot that grazed his ear. He thanked the US Secret Service for saving him in a Truth Social messaging platform post. Trump said he was “shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear.”

The gunman, who authorities said was a young man from Pennsylvania, was shot dead at the scene by snipers after shooting five bullets with his rifle toward Trump from the rooftop of a building way across from the rally.

The FBI special agent in charge of security, Kevin Rojek, said the shooting was being investigated as a failed assassination attempt on Trump’s life.

Rojek said in a news briefing that the FBI was not yet prepared to identify the shooter to the public, but added, “we are close to that identification.”

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