Tinubu, other world leaders react to Trump rally shooting

President Bola Tinubu has condemned the attack on former President of the United States, Donald Trump during a political rally in Pennsylvania.

Tinubu, in a message on his official X handle on Sunday, described the attack as “distasteful and beyond the pale of democratic norms.

“Violence has no place in democracy. 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.

“Nigeria stands in solidarity with the United States of America at this time,” said Tinubu.

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The shooting at a campaign rally, which the FBI is investigating as an assassination attempt, sent shock waves around the world, with leaders expressing deep concerns about violence in the American democratic process.

Trump, 78, had just begun a campaign speech in Butler, Pennsylvania, U.S, on Saturday when shots rang out, hitting his right ear and streaking his face with blood.

A 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, who is now dead, was named as the gunman. 

Leaders from France, Canada, India, China and elsewhere condemned political violence and sent well-wishes to the former president.

French President Emmanuel Macron called the shooting “a tragedy for our democracies” and said, “France shares the shock and indignation of the American people.”

“I’m sickened by the shooting at former president Trump,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wrote on X. “It cannot be overstated – political violence is never acceptable.” 

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said, “Political violence in any form has no place in our societies.” 

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said, “It is a warning to everyone, regardless of political affiliation, to restore dignity and honour to politics, against all forms of hatred and violence, and for the good of our democracies.”

“We must stand firm against any form of violence that challenges democracy. I pray for former President Trump’s speedy recovery,” said Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who had to be evacuated from a campaign event last year after what appeared to be a smoke bomb was thrown at him. In 2022, former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe was shot and killed during a campaign event.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva called the shooting “unacceptable” and said it should be strongly condemned “by all defenders of democracy and dialogue in politics.” In 2018, Jair Bolsonaro was stabbed during a campaign rally before he became Brazil’s president.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, “such violence has no justification and no place anywhere in the world.” Zelensky, whose country is at war with Russia, was the target of foiled assassination plots in 2022, 2023 and 2024, according to Ukrainian authorities.

“China is following the shooting incident that ex-President Trump encountered, and President Xi Jinping has expressed sympathy to ex-President Trump,” a spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry said Sunday. 

Speaking in a conference call with reporters, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the U.S. administration “prefers to resolve all issues from a position of strength,” including “use of force” in international affairs, and “now this violence has spilled inside the country.”

The Kremlin condemned the attack and wished speedy recoveries to the injured. (NAN, The Washington Post )