US politicians and world leaders condemn Trump rally shooting

One person was killed and two critically injured, with former president seemingly shot in ear

US politicians and world leaders condemned Saturday's shooting at a rally held by former president Donald Trump.

One person was killed and two critically injured when several shots were fired during the event.

Trump ducked behind a podium before Secret Service agents jumped on him. Blood could be seen pouring down his face as his security team ushered him offstage.

President Joe Biden addressed the shooting, saying that “there is no place in America for this kind of violence”.

“It's sick, it's sick. We cannot be like this, we cannot condone this.”

House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson posted on X that he was praying for Trump, while Hakeem Jeffries, the top Democrat in the House, said that “political violence of any kind is never acceptable”.

Democratic Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, the former speaker of the House whose husband was attacked with a hammer in a politically motivated attack, expressed deep concern for the former president.

“As one whose family has been the victim of political violence, I know first-hand that political violence of any kind has no place in our society,” said Ms Pelosi, who was often at loggerheads with Trump during his presidency.

“I thank God that former president Trump is safe.”

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, another frequent Democratic critic of Trump, called the incident “horrific” and “absolutely unacceptable”.

Trump's former vice president Mike Pence, whom the former president has blamed for agreeing to certify Mr Biden's electoral win in the 2020 election, tweeted that he and his wife Karen “are praying for President Trump and urge every American to join us”.

Some Republican politicians took a stronger line and called for an investigation.

Representative James Comer formally called on the director of the Secret Service, Kimberly Cheatle, to testify in Congress.

Senator Josh Hawley wrote on X: “The nation needs to know who did this. And why. And we need a full, public investigation by Congress into HOW it happened.”

Mr Johnson, the House Speaker, said later that the chamber would conduct a full investigation.

“The American people deserve to know the truth,” he said.

International leaders also expressed their condemnation of the shooting and prayers for Trump's health.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the shooting left him shocked, while President Isaac Herzog extended his best wishes for Trump's health on behalf of the Israeli people and condemned “utterly and unequivocally the attempt on his life”.

Newly elected British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was “appalled by the shocking scenes at President Trump's rally” and sent him and his family “our best wishes”.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who met Trump this week while visiting the US for the Nato summit, said his prayers were with the former president “in these dark hours”.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said that “we condemn what happened to former President Donald Trump – violence is irrational and inhumane”.

“We must stand firm against any form of violence that challenges democracy,” said Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. “I pray for former president Trump’s speedy recovery.”

The UAE has strongly condemned the shooting and all forms of violence.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed the UAE's solidarity with Trump and his family, as well as with the government and people of the US, and offered its heartfelt wishes for a full and speedy recovery.

The ministry reaffirmed the UAE's condemnation of such criminal and extremist acts, and its rejection of all forms of violence.