New Delhi: While China expressed ‘sympathy and concern’, Russia’s reaction to the assassination attempt on former US president and Republican nominee for the 2024 presidential polls, Donald Trump, included criticism of US policies, particularly pertaining to support for Ukraine, amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
The Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, used the assassination attempt to denounce the aid extended by the US to Ukraine, suggesting that it would be better to use the funds allocated for such purposes to ensure domestic law enforcement.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that there was “no justification” for such violence and that he was “relieved” that Trump, who has frequently criticised US military aid to Ukraine, was safe and wished him “a speedy recovery”.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep concern over the attack on his “friend”. Modi emphasised that violence has no place in political discourse or democratic societies.
Deeply concerned by the attack on my friend, former President Donald Trump. Strongly condemn the incident. Violence has no place in politics and democracies. Wish him speedy recovery.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the deceased, those injured and the American…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 14, 2024
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, wrote in a post on X, “Such acts must be condemned in the strongest possible terms.”
Global reactions to the attempted assassination of Donald Trump at a rally Saturday, were characterised by condemnation of political violence and expressions of solidarity with the former president. World leaders highlighted the importance of upholding democratic values and rejecting violence as a means of political expression.
Chinese President Xi Jinping conveyed his “compassion and sympathy” to Trump, with the Chinese Foreign Ministry saying that they were monitoring the situation surrounding the shooting.
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Far-right leaders, Dutch politician Geert Wilders and Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban, also took to X to share their thoughts on the incident. Wilders wrote, “What happened in the US can also happen in the Netherlands… The hatred towards right-wing politicians is also unprecedented in our country.” Orban extended his thoughts and prayers to Trump in “these dark hours”.
What happened in the US can also happen in the Netherlands. Don't underestimate it. The hatred towards right-wing politicians is also unprecedented in our country. Their security should be significantly increased where necessary.#Trump
— Geert Wilders (@geertwilderspvv) July 14, 2024
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed hope that “the next few months of the electoral campaign will see dialogue and responsibility prevail over hatred and violence”.
Other G7 leaders also condemned the incident, calling out ‘political violence’.
“It is a tragedy for our democracies,” French President Emmanuel Macron wrote. Jordan Bardella, leader of the French far-right National Rally party, emphasised that “Violence is the poison of any democracy.”
New British Prime Minister Keir Starmer voiced his dismay at the scenes unfolding at the rally, saying that “political violence in any form has no place in any society”.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida emphasised the importance of standing firm against all forms of violence that challenge democracy.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz condemned the attack, calling it “despicable”, while Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said it left him “sickened”, adding that “political violence is never acceptable”.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the shooting was “concerning and confronting”, and Argentinian President Javier Milei attributed the assassination attempt to what he described as the “international left“, accusing them of resorting to terrorism to advance their political agenda amidst electoral competition, calling the attack “cowardly”.
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil condemned the shooting, highlighting the need for defenders of democracy and political dialogue to denounce such violence unequivocally.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also expressed shock, conveying prayers for Trump’s safety and swift recovery.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres too “unequivocally condemned” the act of political violence, extending his best wishes to Trump for a speedy recovery. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, expressed deep shock at the incident, asserting that “political violence has no place in a democracy”.