Tinubu, world leaders condemn assassination attempt on Trump

President Bola Tinubu on Sunday joined world leaders to condemn the attack on former United States President, Donald Trump.

Tinubu stated this on his official X handle on Sunday, hours after the shooting at Trump’s campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, which authorities said killed one person and left two other spectators critically injured.

Trump – the Republican candidate for the November 5, 2024, presidential election – was shot at and the Secret Service agents quickly rushed him off the stage into an SUV.

“Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, is the subject involved in the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump on July 13, in Butler, Pennsylvania,” USA Today quoted the Federal Bureau of Investigation as saying in a statement on Sunday.

Reacting to the development, Tinubu said, “The attack on former President Donald Trump is distasteful and goes 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.”

Leaders globally spoke out against political violence and expressed their support for those affected by Saturday’s shooting.

AFP reports that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she was “deeply shocked” by the attack.

“Political violence has no place in a democracy,” she said.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called the shooting “despicable” and said “such acts of violence threaten democracy.”

In neighboring France, President Emmanuel Macron called the assassination attempt a “tragedy for our democracies.”

“France shares the shock and indignation of the American people,” he said.

Russia strongly condemned any violence in the context of politics, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Sunday.

“After numerous attempts to eliminate candidate Trump from the political arena using, first, all legal tools. It is obvious to all outside observers that his life is in danger,” Peskov said.

He added, however, that “we do not at all believe that the attempt was organised by the current power.”

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was “appalled to learn about the shooting” and wished Trump a “speedy recovery.”

“Such violence has no justification and no place anywhere in the world. Never should violence prevail,” he said.

Turkey’s President Recep Erdogan expressed confidence “that the investigation into the attack will be carried out in the most effective way and that the perpetrators and their instigators will be brought to justice as soon as possible in order not to cast a shadow on the US elections and global stability.”

The Vatican, meanwhile, voiced “its concern following yesterday’s violent episode which injures people and democracy, provoking suffering and death.”

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

China’s Xi Jinping expressed his “compassion and sympathy” for Trump, with a foreign ministry spokesman saying Beijing was “closely following” the incident.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was “deeply concerned by the attack on my friend.”

The FBI said the incident “remains an active and ongoing investigation, and anyone with information that may assist with the investigation is encouraged to submit photos or videos online.”