HARARE – Director of the Zanu-PF Information and Publicity Department Farai Marapira, has condemned the recent assassination attempt on former United States President Donald Trump, emphasizing that there must be no violence against candidates during election campaigns.
This statement comes as world leaders express their outrage and concern over the incident, which occurred at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday.
Trump was struck in the ear during the rally, and the suspected shooter, identified by the FBI as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, was swiftly killed by Secret Service agents. A bystander was also killed, and two other spectators were critically injured.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed his shock, stating he was “sickened by the shooting” and sending his thoughts to Trump and the American people. European leaders, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, extended their concern and best wishes. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the incident as “shocking” and emphasized that “political violence in any form has no place in our societies.”
Macron took to X to call the assassination attempt “a tragedy for our democracies,” sharing the indignation of the American people. In Asia, China’s foreign ministry reported that President Xi Jinping expressed sympathies to Trump, and Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida stressed the importance of standing firm against violence challenging democracy.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has referred to Trump as “my friend,” strongly condemned the incident, stating, “Violence has no place in politics and democracies.” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese echoed these sentiments, describing the event as “concerning and confronting.”
The Kremlin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov, according to Reuters, remarked that “Russia has always condemned all manifestations of violence” and suggested that the U.S. administration’s environment might have provoked the attack.
In the U.S., both Republican and Democratic leaders, as well as international allies and adversaries, expressed shock and relief. Lawmakers from both parties promised hearings and a comprehensive investigation into the attack. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on X: “Sara and I were shocked by the apparent attack on President Trump. We pray for his safety and speedy recovery.”
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, despite his adversarial relationship with Trump, wished him a speedy recovery during a campaign event, saying, “May God bless the people of the United States and give them peace and tranquility. We have been adversaries, but I wish President Trump health and long life, and I repudiate that attack.”
Former U.S. President Barack Obama shared his views on social media, condemning political violence and expressing relief that Trump was not seriously hurt. “There is absolutely no place for political violence in our democracy,” Obama wrote. “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. Michelle and I are wishing him a quick recovery.”
Former President George W. Bush praised the Secret Service for their “speedy response” and expressed gratitude that Trump was safe, writing on X: “Laura and I are grateful that President Trump is safe following the cowardly attack on his life.”
These messages of concern and relief are mixed with accusations directed at President Biden and calls for the criminal cases against Trump to be stopped. Farai Marapira’s condemnation adds to the chorus of voices advocating for non-violence in political processes, underscoring the global sentiment that violence has no place in democratic societies.
