Czech leaders condemn attack on US presidential candidate Donald Trump

Czech President Petr Pavel, PM Petr Fiala, and others have strongly condemned the attack on Republican presidential candidate and former US President Donald Trump, who was struck by a bullet on his ear during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday evening. The attack left two people dead, including the alleged shooter, and another seriously injured.

"News about the attack on presidential candidate Donald Trump caught me during the flight from Houston to Prague," Pavel wrote on social media on Sunday after returning to Czechia following a week-long visit to the states.

"Violence does not belong in a democratic society, therefore it is necessary to unequivocally condemn the attack on the former American president. A tense atmosphere in society does not benefit anyone and politicians need to try to calm the situation. I wish Donald Trump a speedy recovery."

"Politics should be a battle of opinions, violence must have no place in it," PM Fiala wrote on X on Sunday morning. "I strongly condemn the attack on Donald Trump and wish him a speedy recovery."

Other prominent Czech politicians echoed Pavel and Fiala's sentiments. Among those who condemned the attack were Speaker of the Czech Chamber of Deputies Markéta Pekarová Adamová and opposition ANO leader and former Czech prime minister Andrej Babiš.

"In a democracy, we express our opinions and attitudes through elections and verbal communication, not through violence," Pekarová Adamová told Czech News Agency. "I feel sorry for the victim and extend my condolences to the bereaved and all Americans."

"Crazy, any sane person must condemn this. I wish him a speedy recovery," Babiš added on X.

"Violence does not belong in politics. In any form, anywhere in the world. I unequivocally condemn the attack on Donald Trump," added Interior Minister Vít Rakušan.

Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský emphasized that the use of violence to resolve political disputes is unacceptable, calling it a tragic day for democracy and wishing Trump a swift recovery.

"Violence against anyone, regardless of whether I agree with their views or not, is unacceptable and reprehensible," writes Czech MEP Danuše Nerudová.

Czech political scientists: attack may help Trump campaign

The attack on Trump may bolster his campaign and improve his chances of re-election, according to Czech political scientists. The country recently witnessed a similar attack in neighboring Slovakia on Prime Minister Robert Fico.

"Trump will undoubtedly leverage this incident in his campaign, showcasing his determination to continue vigorously despite the attack," Monika Brusenbauch Meislová from Masaryk University in Brno tells Czech News Agency.

She suggests that the attack could generate sympathy for Trump and mobilize his supporters, and expects Trump to use this event to push for a narrative emphasizing order and decisive leadership.

Petr Just from Charles University Prague agrees, noting the impact of images showing Trump with a bleeding ear and a clenched fist in front of an American flag shot moments after the attack. "It's already all over the servers," he notes.

Brusenbauch Meislová believes Trump will argue that the current administration under President Joe Biden has failed to ensure citizens' safety, positioning himself as the candidate capable of restoring security and stability.

The attack, she says, will dominate news coverage and increase Trump's media visibility over the months leading up to the November election.