EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said political violence had no place in a democracy, adding that an event meant to honour a free press should never become a scene of fear. She also wished the injured Secret Service officer a quick recovery.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed relief for the safety of all attendees and praised the swift response of law enforcement, saying violence has no place in politics under any circumstances.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was relieved that the President, the First Lady and all guests were safe, adding that political violence has no place in
any democracy.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he and his wife were shocked by what he described as an attempted assassination of President Trump, expressing relief over his safety.
Britain’s Ambassador to the United States, Christian Turner, confirmed that some British embassy officials had attended the event and thanked U.S. law enforcement for their professional response, wishing the injured officer a full recovery.
Inside the ballroom, White House Correspondents’ Association President Weijia Jiang told the gathered crowd that journalists did what they are trained to do. “When there is an emergency, we run to the crisis, not away from it,” she said. “Thank God everybody is safe.”
The suspect, Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, was taken into custody after charging a security checkpoint armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives.
One Secret Service agent was shot but was saved by his bulletproof vest. Allen is to be arraigned in federal court on Monday.
