President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Sunday joined World leaders in condemning an assassination attempt on former US President, Donald Trump, describing the attack as distasteful.
Trump, the Republican candidate for the November election, was rushed off stage when gunshots were fired at him in a campaign rally on Saturday in Pennsylvania, in a shocking incident that will fuel anxiety in the run-up to the 2024 election.
“The attack on former President Donald Trump is distasteful and goes beyond the pale of democratic norms. Violence has no place in democracy,” he said.
“I extend my sympathies to the former President and wish him relief. I also condole with the family of the deceased and those wounded and wish them a quick recovery.
According to the President, Nigeria stands in solidarity with the United States of America at this time.
Republican candidate Donald Trump is seen with blood on his face surrounded by secret service agents as he is taken off the stage at a campaign event at Butler Farm Show Inc. in Butler, Pennsylvania, July 13, 2024.
“Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger said two people are dead, including an apparent shooter,” The Washington Post reported. A second bystander may also have been hit.
The rally in Butler, Pennsylvania descended into chaos after shots were heard and screams and shouts rang out.
“Let me get my shoes,” Trump was heard saying on the microphone, as security agents helped him back to his feet.
He turned back to the crowd and repeatedly raised his fist, as well as mouthing words that weren’t immediately discernable, in what is set to become an iconic image.
Agents bundled the 78-year-old tycoon into an SUV, as he once more raised his fist to the crowd.
“This is an active crime scene,” Secret Service officers told reporters, ordering them out of the area.
“We saw a lot of people go down, looking confused. I heard the shots,” said John Yeykal from Franklin, Pennsylvania, who was attending his first Trump rally.
US politicians reacted with shock to the incident.
Former president Barack Obama said there was “absolutely no place for political violence in our democracy.”
“Although we don’t yet know exactly what happened, we should all be relieved that former President Trump wasn’t seriously hurt, and use this moment to recommit ourselves to civility and respect in our politics,” he said.
Republican minority leader Mitch McConnell added: “Tonight, all Americans are grateful that President Trump appears to be fine after a despicable attack on a peaceful rally. Violence has no place in our politics.”
Billionaire Elon Musk reacted by quickly endorsing Trump.
“I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery,” Musk wrote on X, which he owns along with car manufacturer Tesla, as he shared a video of Trump pumping his fist while being escorted away.
Global leaders expressed concern Sunday over an apparent assassination attempt targeting former U.S. President Donald Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania that left one attendee dead and critically injured two others.
Trump’s campaign said the presumptive Republican nominee was doing “fine” after being whisked off the stage though the shooting pierced the upper part of
The Secret Service said it killed the suspected shooter who attacked from an elevated position outside the rally venue.
U.S. authorities are still investigating the shooting.
Argentina
Argentina’s President Javier Milei said Trump was the “victim of a cowardly assassination attempt that put his life and that of hundreds of people at risk.”
In a post on X, Milei also said the apparent assassination attempt highlighted the “desperation of the international left” and its “willingness to destabilize democracies and promote violence to screw itself into power.”
Australia
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the “inexcusable attack” on the United States and Australia’s shared democratic values.
“In Australia, as in the United States, the essence and the purpose of our democracies is that we can express our views, debate our disagreements and resolve our differences peacefully,” Albanese told reporters in the Australian Parliament House.
Brazil
Brazil’s president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, called the incident unacceptable on X and said the attack must be “strongly repudiated” by all democracy defenders.
His predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, who is a close Trump ally, relayed his solidarity with “the world’s greatest leader of the moment.” Bolsonaro was stabbed in the abdomen at a campaign event ahead of the 2018 presidential election, which he went on to win.
Trump, he told reporters, was saved by a matter of a few centimeters. “This — to understand — is something that comes from above,” he added.
Canada
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was sickened by the shooting and his thoughts were with Trump, those at the event and all Americans.
“It cannot be overstated — political violence is never acceptable,” he wrote on X.
China
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement that China is concerned about the attack and President Xi Jinping has already extended his sympathies to Trump.
Egypt
Egyptian President Abdelfattah El Sissi stressed his country’s condemnation of the attack in a statement and wished for the U.S. election campaigns to resume peacefully.
France
French President Emmanuel Macron sent his wishes to Trump for a prompt recovery. “It is a drama for our democracies. France shares the indignation of the American people,” he posted on X.
Germany
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz posted on X saying the attack was “despicable” and such violent acts threaten democracy. “My compassionate thoughts are also with the other people who were hurt in the attack,” he said.
Hungary
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said his thoughts and prayers were with Trump “in these dark hours” on X.
India
India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, said he was deeply concerned by “the attack on my friend.”
“Strongly condemn the incident. Violence has no place in politics and democracies,” he wrote on X.
Iraq
Masrour Barzani, the prime minister of the Kurdistan region of Iraq, condemned the attack “in the strongest terms,” saying on X his thoughts are with the victims of “this senseless act of terrorism.”
Israel
At the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting in Jerusalem, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he watched “in horror,” adding that the attack was also an “assassination attempt on American democracy.”
He said everyone in Israel was sending Trump wishes for “a quick recovery and return to full strength.”
Italy
Italian President Sergio Mattarella said in a statement the attack was a cause for serious alarm and “a disconcerting symptom of the deterioration of the civil fabric and of the dangerous refusal of confrontation, dialogue and respect for democratic life.”
Meanwhile, Premier Giorgia Meloni wished Trump a quick recovery.
Japan
“We must stand firm against any form of violence that challenges democracy,” Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on X.
Mexico
Mexico’s president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, denounced the attack on X and said “violence is irrational and inhumane.”
Pakistan
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called the shooting a “shocking development.” He said he condemned all violence in politics and wished the former president a swift recovery and good health.
And imprisoned Pakistani opposition leader and former prime minister Imran Khan, who was shot and injured at a rally in November 2022, wished Trump a full recovery. “Political violence is a tool of cowards and has no place in a democracy,” he said on X.
Russia
Russian President Vladimir Putin has no plans at present to call Trump, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
“We do not at all think or believe that the attempt to eliminate presidential candidate Trump was organized by the current government, but the atmosphere that this administration created during the political struggle, the atmosphere around candidate Trump provoked what America is faced with today,” he added.
Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian foreign ministry, said earlier Sunday on her Telegram channel that American lawmakers should employ the money they use to supply weapons to Ukraine “to finance the American police and other services which should ensure law and order within the United States.”
South Africa
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa wrote on X that the attempted assassination of Trump “is a stark reminder of the dangers of political extremism and intolerance.”
Ramaphosa also voiced his hope that “the citizens and leaders of America will have the fortitude and sagacity to reject violence and seek peaceful solutions.”
Slovakia
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who survived an assassination attempt in May, condemned the shooting in a Facebook post. He drew direct parallels between the two incidents, suggesting the attack on Trump was the result of a campaign by his political opponents.
Taiwan
Taiwan’s president, Lai Ching-te, said on X his thoughts and prayers are with Trump, adding that political violence of any form is never acceptable “in our democracies.”
Turkey
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the shooting on X, offering his good wishes to Trump, his family and supporters.
He said he believed “the investigation into the attack will be conducted effectively” so as not to undermine the US elections.
The European Commission
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on X she was deeply shocked by the shooting, adding that political violence has no place in democracy.
Ukraine
Also on X, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was appalled to learn about the shooting, saying such violence has no justification. He added he was relieved to learn that Trump is safe.
Zelenskyy extended his wishes for strength to everyone who was horrified by the event.
United Arab Emirates
The UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the attack on Trump, describing it as “a criminal and extremist act.”
United Kingdom
U.K. 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,” he said.
British lawmaker Nigel Farage, a friend of Trump’s, sought to pin much of the blame on the “mainstream media” that he claimed opposed the former president. He told the BBC that it was a “horrendous” incident but somehow he was not shocked by it.
Vatican
In a statement, the Vatican expressed its concern over “last night’s episode of violence, which hurts people and democracy, causing suffering and death.” Pope Francis didn’t mention the apparent assassination attempt in his weekly prayers earlier.
Venezuela
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro condemned the attack during a campaign event in the town of Guacara. “We have been adversaries, but I wish President Trump health and long life, and I repudiate the attack,” Maduro added.
Associated Press journalists around the world contributed to this report.
ABC