The Ukrainian president and a former Russian president react
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was glad that Trump was “safe and unharmed” yesterday after the assassination attempt, which authorities described as an apparent assassination attempt.
“It is good that the suspect in the attack was quickly arrested,” Zelensky said on X. “This is our principle: the rule of law is the highest priority and there is no place for political violence anywhere in the world. We sincerely hope that everyone is safe.”
Dmitry Medvedev, former president and current deputy chairman of the Security Council, referred to reports that the suspect in yesterday’s alleged plot, Ryan Routh, is a staunch supporter of Ukraine.
“I wonder what would happen if it turned out that the failed new Trump shooter Routh, who recruited mercenaries for the Ukrainian army, was himself hired by the neo-Nazi regime in Kyiv for this assassination?” Medvedev wrote on X.
Former Secret Service employee says it was a “good day” for the agency – but warns of copycat attacks
Questions will inevitably be raised about the role of the secret service before, during and after yesterday’s alleged assassination attempt.
But Robert McDonald, a former senior Secret Service official who oversaw President Joe Biden’s security staff during his tenure as vice president, said this morning it was a positive day for the service, especially after the shooting in Pennsylvania in July.
“Compared to July 13, when the Secret Service had some epochal failures in its policies and protocols, this was a very positive response on their part,” he told BBC Radio 4.
He said the service was able to “carefully identify this individual and then ensure that protective measures were increased in the immediate environment of the former president.”
“All in all, I think it was a good day for the Secret Service – even though this person got relatively close to us,” he said.
However, he warned that there could be possible copycat attacks.
“Will anyone have another high-powered rifle? Will anyone be able to do serious damage?” he said.
Suspect’s son: “That doesn’t sound like the man I know”
The son of Ryan Routh, the man suspected of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump, expressed surprise at his father’s arrest yesterday.
Routh’s eldest son Oran told CNN via text message that his father was a “loving and caring father and an honest, hard-working man.”
“I don’t know what happened in Florida, and I hope things were just blown out of proportion, because from what little I’ve heard, it doesn’t sound like the man I know would do anything crazy, let alone violent,” he said.
NBC News has contacted Oran Routh for comment.
Reactions of world leaders to the shooting at Trump’s golf course in Florida
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, an ally of the former president, said in a statement that he and his wife Sara were “shocked by the second assassination attempt on President Trump and relieved to hear that this one also failed.”
He added: “But we should not rely on our luck. We send our best wishes to Donald and Melania and hope that all measures will be taken to ensure that such deadly attacks on a US presidential candidate are thwarted in advance.”
British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told Sky News: “It is appalling to see political violence. Violence should have no place in any political campaign. We are all pleased that the former president is safe and that whatever happened, this attempt was not successful.”
Reactions from Trump and Harris’ campaign teams to the latest alleged “assassination attempt”
One person is in custody after shots were fired on Sunday. The FBI is calling it a second “assassination attempt” on former President Donald Trump. Now his campaign team and Harris’ campaign team are reacting. Hallie Jackson of NBC News reports more.
