WASHINGTON: Donald Trump said on Sunday it was divine intervention that helped him survive an assassination attempt during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, and called on Americans to unite.
"It was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening," the former US president and White House hopeful said on social media, urging fellow Americans to unite in "not allowing Evil to Win." Trump was hit in the ear in an assassination attempt by a gunman at a campaign rally on Saturday, in a chaotic and shocking incident set to supercharge political tensions ahead of the US presidential election.
President Joe Biden, who is set to face Trump in November's deeply polarized presidential election, said there was "no place in America for this kind of violence."
"In this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand United, and show our True Character as Americans, remaining Strong and Determined, and not allowing Evil to Win," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform Sunday morning, confirming that he would attend the Republican National Convention, which begins on Monday in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
World leaders and governments reacted with shock to the wounding of Donald Trump in an assassination attempt against the former US president at an election rally.
Presidents and prime ministers globally spoke out against political violence and expressed their support for those affected by the Saturday shooting, which killed one bystander and left two other spectators critically wounded.
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 a "tragedy for our democracies." "France shares the shock and indignation of the American people," said Macron.
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." "Violence has no place in politics and democracies," said Modi.
The US Secret Service on Sunday denied claims that it had refused additional protection for Donald Trump ahead of his Pennsylvania campaign rally, where he was shot in the ear in an assassination attempt.
Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said on social media platform X that the assertions were "absolutely false," adding that the agency had "added protective resources & technology & capabilities as part of the increased campaign travel tempo." — AFP
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
