It seems the era of political violence is not a thing of the past.

In the hours following the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, reactions both of concern and shock were evident and on display. World leaders condemned the horrific attack that saw Trump miraculously escape death after an incredibly close shot missed his head – leaving him with only minor injury to his ear.

Trump Unbowed

In his final act before being ushered from the stage surrounded by Secret Service agents, Trump raised his fist in the air defiantly, prompting the stunned rallygoers to chant “USA! USA!” Posting on his TruthSocial platform shortly after, he wrote:

“I want to thank The United States Secret Service, and all of Law Enforcement, for their rapid response on the shooting that just took place in Butler, Pennsylvania. Most importantly, I want to extend my condolences to the family of the person at the Rally who was killed, and also to the family of another person that was badly injured. It is incredible that such an act can take place in our Country.”

Mr. Trump was referencing the attendees who suffered the hail of bullets along with him – one of whom was killed while two more were seriously injured.

The image of the former president defiantly rallying the crowd will likely become one of the most iconic images of the generation; evoking reminiscence of Theodore Roosevelt’s statement after surviving a similar assassination attempt in 1912. He said: “Friends, I shall ask you to be as quiet as possible. I don’t know whether you fully understand that I have just been shot – but it takes more than that to kill a Bull Moose.”

World Leaders Weigh In

President Biden is reported to have called Mr. Trump directly. He also posted on X: “I’m grateful to hear that he’s safe and doing well. I’m praying for him and his family and for all those who were at the rally, as we await further information.” He continued, “Jill and I are grateful to the Secret Service for getting him to safety. There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it.”

“I’m sickened by the shooting at former President Trump. It cannot be overstated – political violence is never acceptable,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said. “My thoughts are with former President Trump, those at the event, and all Americans.”

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli PM, posted: “Sara and I were shocked by the apparent attack on President Trump. We pray for his safety and speedy recovery.”

Argentinian President Javier Milei was – as is his personality – a little more bold in his message, saying he offers “all my support and solidarity to president and candidate Donald Trump, victim of a COWARDLY assassination attempt that put his life and that of hundreds of people at risk.”

Rhetoric vs Responsibility

A uniting theme in the outpouring of messages was that political violence has no place in a democracy. Mr. Trump noted his gratitude to law enforcement and his sympathies for his supporters who were tragically killed or injured. President Biden has reportedly decided to pull his planned ad campaign – much of which was to be focused on attacking Donald Trump.

The rhetoric of this presidential campaign has been harsh, brutal, and in many cases designed to demean and dehumanize. With this heinous attack, it seems, at least for now, the competitors may reflect and pull back on the negative language that has dominated 2024.