Prime Minister condemns ‘appalling’ shooting at Donald Trump rally
Sir Keir Starmer said he was ‘appalled’ at the shooting at a campaign rally for former US president Donald Trump in Pennsylvania.
Mr Trump, who was “safe” according to a spokesman, said on his Truth Social media platform that a bullet had “pierced” his ear before he was dragged to the ground by Secret Service agents.
The suspected gunman was killed while the Secret Service confirmed one person in the crowd had died and two others had been “critically injured”.
The Prime Minister said: “I am appalled by the shocking scenes at President Trump’s rally and we send him and his family our best wishes.
“Political violence in any form has no place in our societies and my thoughts are with all the victims of this attack.”
Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the Government “condemns all forms of political violence in the strongest terms”.
Shocking
Posting on X, formerly known as Twitter, he said: “As we monitor the shocking developments in Pennsylvania, our thoughts and best wishes are with President Trump – along with every victim and their families.”
President Joe Biden said he hoped to speak to Mr Trump and that “everybody must condemn” the shooting
“We cannot allow this to be happening,” Biden said. “The idea that there’s violence in America like this is just unheard of.”
World leaders joined with Sir Keir in condemning the attack, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese labelling the incident “concerning and confronting.”
He said on X: “There is no place for violence in the democratic process. I am relieved to hear reports that former president Trump is now safe.”
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau added that he was “sickened” by the shooting.
“It cannot be overstated — political violence is never acceptable,” he said. M”y thoughts are with former President Trump, those at the event, and all Americans.”
‘Apalling’
Former prime minister Liz Truss tweeted “Pray for President Trump” while ex-Conservative Home Secretary Suella Braveman described events in Pennsylvania as “appalling scenes”.
Mr Trump had been presenting a chart of border crossing numbers to the crowd then shots rang out across the crowd.
Secret service agents rushed the stage as footage from the event captured screams ringing out from the crowd.
The bangs continued as agents tended to him before Mr Trump got back up and pumped his fist before he was whisked to his motorcade to leave the venue.
Posting on Truth Social, Mr Trump said: “I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin.
“Nothing is known at this time about the shooter, who is now dead.”
Spokesman Steven Cheung added that Mr Trump is “fine” and gives his thanks to “law enforcement and first responders for their quick action during this heinous act”.
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Trump is a real marmite character and many of his past comments have agitated bad behaviour and violence. So he ends up on the receiving end and survives. Maybe this will teach him to moderate his own output although my suspicions are that he will just double down on some convoluted law and order theme. Always surprising that a big nation like USA can’t produce 2 men better suited to the leadership role.
Some ambiguity in that statement…
To think that the whole course of human history hinged on the width of my thumb…
The bomb plot finale of July 1944…80 years ago this month…
The problem he has created is, do we believe this was real or a setup, that what Trump has created in politics. So many lies and grifitng to levels nobody has ever seen. Already people are commenting someone was seen and told his security, who did nothing. He will abusse this for power, rather than tone it down and wonder if gun freedoms they have might be a touch to far. His actions have led to loss of life, himself coming so close will not change his awful nature.
Looking at all of the people behind him. If the bullet hit his ear it was very lucky nobody behind him was injured.
No a man there, was sadly killed, I don’t think the person who fired the shot cared whom they killed.
What amazed me looking at the footage, there was a man behind Trump who got out a hand gun after the shooting started and he wasn’t secret service either.
Once again, we see the consequences of laws that enable semi-automatic assault rifles to get into the hands of disturbed teenagers. The focus is currently of course on the unsuccessful attack on Donald Trump. But there will have been dozens of successful gun attacks on ordinary Americans this weekend. The inability of US society to respond rationally to this obvious and avoidable threat to the lives of its citizens is a shocking indictment.
In the US you can use a gun without a license, but you need a license to drive a car.
You can buy a gun when you’re 18, but you cannot drink until you’re 21.
The NRA have too much power.
i’m just suprised they haven’t been more attempts. So many guns, so few brain-cells
The argument for relaxed gun ownership in America is to prevent the rise of tyrannical dictators. As Alex Jones once ranted: “Hitler took the guns, Stalin took the guns.” Yet populists like Trump could use the second amendment to their advantage. Anyone who opposes him could be taken out, there goes the first amendment. The founders of America, even Reagan himself would be horrified by the prospect of a second Trump Presidency.
Yes, political violence is unacceptable in any democracy, but America & Britain aren’t democracies. And I won’t take advice from Keir Starmer , an alledged former human rights lawyer, who I might add stated on BBC Radio that it was Israel’s right to defend itself by stopping food, water, power & medical aid to 2.1 m Palestinian civilians in Gaza which is a war crime under UN Article 33. Also, we’ve had the likes of Reform UK’s Nigel Farage moralising about Trump’s assassination attempt citing the rising in political violence and hate speech when he himself demonised millions of Syrian… Read more »
America is deeply polarised, many hate Trump. The country is a tinderbox ready to explode whether Trump gets reelected or not. Not a great advertisement for ‘the land of the free’. No one condones violence but the country is built on it and I’m surprised this is the first time someone has tried to assassinate Trump, he’ll have to be extremely careful over the next few months.
Yeah. Bad thing. Right to call it out.
But it says a lot that Trump tried to make this a photo op before seeing who was hurt. The GOP, now owned by Trump, have pushed hate and vitriol for years. He was lining up pence for the chop at the riots.
Trump can row this back today. But I expect T shirts milage out of it for him. He will use it.