The sharp condemnation of the attack on Donald Trump unites Democrats and Republicans

Reactions to the attack on Donald Trump on Saturday during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, range from disbelief that someone could have bypassed draconian security measures to grave concern about the escalation from verbal violence in a political confrontation to real violence, in a spiral of unknown consequences. With the exception of Republican Senator JD Vance — one of the favorites for the vice presidency, who accused Democrats of having encouraged violence with their anti-Trump rhetoric — the attack has momentarily brought Republicans and Democrats into unanimous agreement in condemning it. “I am horrified by what happened at the Trump rally in Pennsylvania and relieved that former President Trump is safe,” veteran Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer said in a statement. Republican Steve Scalise, number two The House Speaker, who was the target of a shooting in 2017, has said that “there is never a place for political violence.” Democrat Nancy Pelosi, the long-time Speaker of the House, also drew on her personal experience — the serious attack suffered by her husband at home, also for political reasons — to express solidarity with her opponent. “I thank God that former President Trump is safe,” she said.

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley condemned political violence and offered her prayers for her primary rival, who Haley dropped out of in March. “This should horrify all freedom-loving Americans. Violence against presidential candidates must never be normalized. We are sending a prayer to Donald Trump, the entire Trump family, and all those in attendance,” Haley wrote in a post on X.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a top Biden campaign aide, said in a statement that “violence has NO place in our democracy. My thoughts are with President Trump and all those affected by today’s rally.”

In the same vein, former President Barack Obama said in a statement: “There is absolutely no place for political violence in our democracy. While we still don’t know exactly what happened, we should all be relieved that former President Trump was not seriously injured, and use this moment to recommit to civility and respect in our politics. Michelle and I wish him a speedy recovery.” Former Republican President George Bush said he was relieved to see that Trump emerged unscathed from the attack. “Laura and I are grateful that President Trump is safe after the cowardly attack on his life. And we commend the men and women of the Secret Service for their swift response,” he said in a statement.

Even billionaire Elon Musk went a step further in condemning the attack to reaffirm his support for Trump’s campaign. In a message on X (formerly Twitter), the platform he owns, Musk compared Trump’s reaction, fist raised on stage as he was evacuated by Secret Service agents, to the strength of President Theodore Roosevelt. “The last time the US had such a tough candidate was Theodore Roosevelt,” who was attacked before a rally also held in Wisconsin, but, unscathed, went ahead with the event. The technology entrepreneur, who previously voted for the Democrats, made his sympathies clear: “I fully support President Trump and hope for his speedy recovery.” In a later message, he called for the resignation of the head of the Secret Service for allegedly ignoring the warning of a rally attendee about the presence of a gunman on a neighboring rooftop.

In addition to the shock — a true state of shock, according to many of those attending the rally — disbelief at such an event in a venue as protected as a rally was the dominant tone. “The very idea that, somehow, someone was able to get a firearm in there is beyond me, because there was as much security as at any event where the president or former president is present,” said David Urban, a former Trump campaign adviser who has directed about fifty of the Republican’s campaign events. “There are magnetometers, and there … [dispositivos que sirven para cuantificar en fuerza o dirección señales magnéticas] everywhere”, in addition to the obligatory presence of the US secret service, which is responsible for ensuring the security of the leaders, supported by state and local security forces.

Several international leaders joined in with condemnation, posting messages on social media. The X account of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is due to travel to Washington in the coming days, wrote: “Sara and I are shocked by the apparent attack on President Trump. We pray for his safety and speedy recovery.” Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who met the Republican at his mansion in Florida on Thursday, said: “My thoughts and prayers are with President @realDonaldTrump in these dark hours.”

Chilean President Gabriel Boric also took to social media to condemn the attack. “Violence is a threat to democracies and weakens our common life. We must all reject it. From Chile, I express our unqualified condemnation of what happened today in the United States. We hope for the prompt recovery of former President Donald Trump, that the facts are clarified and that justice is done,” wrote the president’s official account. The president of Honduras, Xiomara Castro de Zelaya, also commented on what happened, according to whom “violence generates more violence. I regret what is happening in the electoral process in the United States. My solidarity with @realDonaldTrump.”

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