Statement by Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation, on Attempted Assassination in the United States

Violence has no place in the democratic process. Like many Americans and others around the world, I and The Rockefeller Foundation team and Trustees were shocked and saddened by the recent attack on former President Donald Trump, which left one person dead and others critically injured in Pennsylvania.

For decades, The Rockefeller Foundation has supported free and fair elections, civil society, and vibrant discourse in the United States and across the globe because we know democracy’s unique strengths as well as the grave dangers of its alternatives. This work continues today: the Foundation is currently working with partners and grantees to help protect voting access, safeguard election systems, increase civic engagement, and combat misinformation.

Now is the time for all of us to come together behind these efforts and bolster the democratic systems, values, and norms—including non-violence—that unite so many in the United States and abroad. The Foundation calls on all parties to condemn violence in all its forms and commit to respecting democratic processes this year and the years ahead.

Dr. RajivJ. Shah