Romanian politicians condemn attempted assassination of Donald Trump
<p>Romanian president Klaus Iohannis, prime minister Marcel Ciolacu, and head of the Senate Nicolae Ciuca condemned violence after the attempted assassination of former US president Donald Trump on Saturday, July 13.</p>
<p>Trump was injured after a bullet pierced his ear while he was speaking at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, ahead of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where the Republican Party is set to formally select him as its presidential nominee. One rally attendee was killed, and two others were critically injured before the Secret Service shot and killed the shooter. A video of the incident is available <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYfvSspaJtk">here</a>.</p>
<p>Romanian president Klaus Iohannis reacted to the assassination attempt on former US president Donald Trump in a post on social media.</p>
<blockquote><p>"I am appalled by the attack on former president Trump at his campaign rally. I wish him a speedy and full recovery. Violence and aggression are not attributes of any democracy. We stand by the American people," Iohannis wrote on X. </p>
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<p>Meanwhile, Romania’s Senate president and Liberal leader, Nicolae Ciuca, described the assassination attempt on Donald Trump as an "attack on freedom of expression and assembly."</p>
<blockquote><p>“Hatred, prejudice, and violence have no place in the life of any democracy. The attack on Donald Trump is an attack on freedom of speech and assembly. I wish him an easy recovery. God bless him, and God bless the American people!” he said on X.</p>
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<p>In his turn, Romanian prime minister and Social Democrat leader Marcel Ciolacu called the attack "horrific" and unacceptable.</p>
<blockquote><p>“I send my thoughts of a speedy recovery to President Trump and all the victims of this horrific attack! Regardless of political or ideological differences, resorting to violence is never justified or acceptable,” said PM Marcel Ciolacu, also on X.</p>
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<p>FBI classified the shooting as an attempted assassination. Investigations are ongoing into the shooter, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks. He was registered as a Republican voter but donated money to Democratic causes. Classmates described him as intelligent but a loner, according to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jul/14/trump-rally-suspected-gunman-what-we-know">The Guardian</a>.</p>
<p><em><a href="mailto:radu@romania-insider.com">radu@romania-insider.com</a></em></p>
<p><em>(Photo source: Facebook/<a href="https://www.facebook.com/DonaldTrump?__cft__[0]=AZWU5P5ddQiTDUGrRXMpXO-wyFy-KfREbDkHe2wsCF8wYLdqJtasxuzEbHJ71IOB9zxCX15TNkGtXvGNcLzea-hZeCEQ5RtWDS5jsHRjiARwoem0yZ0fGKPNdkSHoIztcp1_JVPcnFK40mDXW5GWcV3c2veySyapJVzlqf13EUjQ5LBc1h_AME6kyYMQsX4I15BiryDa1mCzk85LqV1H2sQ6&amp;__tn__=-UC*F">Donald J. Trump</a>)</em></p>