ASIA/EUROPE (dpa): Leaders from around the world expressed shock and relief early on Sunday after a suspected attacker was taken into custody after firing shots at a press gala dinner attended by US President Donald Trump in Washington.
Shots rang out while the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner was taking place at the Washington Hilton on Saturday evening, leading security forces to swiftly evacuate Trump, his wife, and other senior officials from the ballroom.
World leaders have taken to X to react to the news that no officials or journalists were harmed, with a Secret Service officer who was hit by a shot apparently saved by their bulletproof vest.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said it was "a huge relief" that the president, the first lady, and all those in attendance were "safe."
"I am shocked by the scenes at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington overnight," he wrote. "Any attack on democratic institutions or on the freedom of the press must be condemned in the strongest possible terms."
French President Emmanuel Macron described the attack as "unacceptable," while European Commission President von der Leyen said that "violence has no place in politics, ever."
She said she was "relieved" that Trump, his wife, and all in attendance were "safe."
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, one of the sharpest critics in Europe of the US-Israeli war against Iran, also condemned the attack.
"Violence is never the answer. Humanity will only move forward through democracy, coexistence, and peace," he wrote.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, a close ally of Trump, said he and his wife were "shocked by the attempted assassination" of Trump.
"We are relieved that the President and the First Lady are safe and strong," he wrote, commending the US Secret Service for the "swift and decisive" response.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who was among the first to react to the dramatic events in the US capital, also expressed relief that everyone was safe.
"Political violence has no place in any democracy, and my thoughts are with all those who have been shaken by this disturbing event," he wrote.
Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum also took to X to send her respects. "Violence must never be the answer," she wrote. -- dpa
