Mitsotakis on attack at Trump: “Violence has no place in democracy”

“The attack at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner is a stark reminder that violence has no place in democracy,” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in a post about the attack at a reception hall in Washington where the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner was taking place, attended by Donald Trump and many high-ranking officials.

“It is a relief that the President of the United States, the First Lady and all those present are safe, but such incidents can never be tolerated. The protection of democratic institutions is non-negotiable,” the prime minister stressed in his post.

Global leaders condemn the attack

French President Emmanuel Macron condemned an “unacceptable” attack and expressed his “support” for Donald Trump.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez condemned the “attack that took place tonight against the president.” “Violence is never the answer. Humanity will only move forward through democracy, coexistence and peace,” he wrote on X.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was “shocked.” “Any attack against democratic institutions or against the freedom of the press must be condemned in the strongest terms,” Starmer said via his account on X.

“Political violence has no place in a democracy,” said the EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas.

In a post on X, the European official also said she was “relieved” that everyone attending the reception was safe.

“An event meant to honour the free press should never have turned into a scene of terror,” Kallas added.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was “relieved” that the president, the first lady and all guests were safe. “Political violence has no place in a democracy,” the Canadian prime minister wrote on X.