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Donald Trump shot during campaign rally; shooter dead

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Donald Trump was shot in the right ear during a campaign rally on Saturday, sparking panic in the crowd and spattering the Republican presidential candidate’s blood across his face, before he emerged and pumped his fist in the air appearing to mouth the words “Fight! Fight! Fight!”

The shooter was dead, one rally attendee was killed and two other spectators were injured, the Secret Service said in a statement.

“I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform. “Much bleeding took place.”

As the shots rang out, Trump grabbed his right ear with his right hand, then brought his hand down to look at it before dropping to his knees behind the podium before Secret Service agents swarmed and covered him. He emerged about a minute later, his red “Make America Great Again” hat knocked off and could be heard saying “wait, wait,” before agents ushered him into a waiting vehicle.

The Secret Service and the former president’s campaign said Trump was safe following the shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania, about 30 miles (50 km) north of Pittsburgh.

The shooter’s identity and motive were not immediately clear. Leading Republicans and Democrats quickly condemned the violence.

The shots appeared to come from outside the area secured by the Secret Service, the agency said.

An audience member was also dead, and another person was in critical condition, a Washington Post reporter said on social media, citing the Butler County district attorney.

The shooting occurred less than four months before the Nov. 5 election, when Trump faces an election rematch with Democratic President Joe Biden.

“President Trump thanks law enforcement and first responders for their quick action during this heinous act. He is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility. More details will follow,” spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement.

Trump had just started his speech when gunshots erupted and Trump and other rally attendees hit the deck. Secret Service agents swarmed around him and Trump disappeared behind the podium for about one minute before he was rushed to the waiting vehicle.

Trump and Biden are locked in a close election rematch, with most opinion polls including those by Reuters/Ipsos showing the two evenly matched.

Biden said in a statement: “There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it.”

Ron Moose, a Trump supporter who was in the crowd, described the chaos: “I heard about four shots and I saw the crowd go down and then Trump ducked also real quick. Then the Secret Service all jumped and protected him as soon as they could. We are talking within a second they were all protecting him.”

Moose said he then saw a man running and being chased by officers in military uniforms. He said he heard additional shots, but was unsure who fired them. He noted that by then snipers had set up on the roof of a warehouse behind the stage.

The BBC interviewed a man who described himself as an eyewitness, saying he saw a man armed with a rifle crawling up a roof near the event. The person, who the BBC did not identify, said he and the people he was with started pointing at the man, trying to alert security.

“I am thinking to myself, why is Trump still speaking. Why have they not pulled him off stage,” said the man, who was wearing a red Trump hat. “Next thing you know, five shots rang out.”

Republicans, Democrats decry violence

Trump is due to receive his party’s formal nomination at the Republican National Convention, which kicks off in Milwaukee on Monday.

“This horrific act of political violence at a peaceful campaign rally has no place in this country and should be unanimously and forcefully condemned,” Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson said on social media.

Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he was horrified by what happened and was relieved Trump was safe. “Political violence has no place in our country,” he said.

A Secret Service spokesperson said on social media: “The Secret Service has implemented protective measures and the former president is safe … This is now an active Secret Service investigation and further information will be released when available.”

CNN reported that Trump was injured, but gave no other details. It was not clear how or what injuries he may have sustained.

The venue was abandoned with chairs knocked over and yellow police tape around the stage. A helicopter flew above and law enforcement officers walked through the area, the video feed showed. Armed law enforcement officers were also seen on a roof near the stage where Trump was standing.

Biden’s campaign was working to pause its television ads and halting all other outbound communication, a campaign official said on Saturday.

Trump, who served as president from 2017-2021, easily bested his rivals for the Republican nomination early in the campaign and has largely unified around him the party that had briefly wavered in support after his supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, attempting to overturn his 2020 election defeat.

The businessman and former reality television star entered the year facing a raft of legal worries, including four separate criminal prosecutions. He was found guilty in late May of trying to cover up hush money payments to a porn star, but the other three prosecutions he faces — including two for his attempts to overturn his defeat — have been ground to a halt by various factors including a Supreme Court decision early this month that found him to be partly immune to prosecution.

Source: Reuters
–Agencies

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GoSL to develop unique Food Security Index for SL

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The government is currently prioritizing the development of a country-specific Food Security Index, with the goal of completing the initiative within the next three months.

This tailored index is expected to better reflect Sri Lanka’s unique food security landscape, addressing the limitations of global indices such as the Global Food Security Index (GFSI), which have been criticized for failing to capture the nuances of the local context. Policymakers have also noted that existing data is often insufficient or imprecise, making it challenging to develop effective strategies.

The proposed index aims to identify key national priorities and guide food security policy over the next five years.

As a first step in this effort, a workshop titled “Identifying a Suitable Food Security Index for Sri Lanka and Formulating a Strategic Plan” was held today (17) at the Colombo City Center. Organized by the Food Security Expert Committee in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP), the event brought together experts and stakeholders from across the sector.

Delivering the opening remarks, Senior Additional Secretary to the President Kapila Gunaratne emphasized the importance of the initiative, stating that the development of a precise, country-specific index is a vital step toward ensuring both economic stability and national food security. The workshop focused on the four key dimensions of food security; availability, accessibility, utilization and stability and explored how these can be incorporated into a comprehensive and practical national index.

Participants included members of the Food Security Expert Committee, such as Senior Professors Buddhi Marambe and Jeevika Weerahewa, along with representatives from various government agencies, academic institutions, the FAO, the WFP and the private sector.

(President’s Media Division)

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Several Opp. MPs walk out of Parliament

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Several opposition members of Parliament have walked out of the Parliament chamber today (June 17.) in protest over the actions of the Speaker of House, according to Chief Opposition Whip Member of Parliament Gayantha Karunathilleka.

MP Karunathilleka noted that several MPs including those from the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), walked out of Parliament after the Speaker refused to allocate time to discuss the on-going Iran-Israel conflict.

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SL – France sign key debt restructuring agreement

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Sri Lanka and France signed a bilateral agreement yesterday (June 16) in Colombo, marking a major milestone in Sri Lanka’s external debt restructuring process, the Ministry of Finance announced.

The bilateral agreement was signed by Mahinda Siriwardana, Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development, on behalf of the government and William Roos, Assistant Secretary, Multilateral Affairs, Trade and Development Policies Department, Directorate-general of the Treasury, on behalf of the government of France.

The statement by the Finance Ministry added that the government of France played a pivotal role in spearheading Sri Lanka’s external debt restructuring process, co-chairing the Official Creditor Committee alongside Japan and India.

The Ministry noted that the agreement would further strengthen the longstanding bilateral relationships between the two nations.

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