The 58-year-old man detained following an attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, Ryan Wesley Routh, gave a long list of excuses for his actions on Sunday.
Less than a day later, information on Routh—who was arrested after driving off Trump’s Florida golf course—became available. These included prior claims that Routh had gone to Ukraine to fight in that country’s war and assisted in enlisting former Taliban fighters to support his cause. In the years since Trump took office, he has only ever donated to Democratic politicians, writing, “DEMOCRACY is on the ballot and we cannot lose.” On Monday, X suspended what appeared to be Routh’s social media account.
Routh did not resist, according to the police who took him into custody. “He never asked, ‘What is this about?’ Obviously, law enforcement with long rifles, blue lights, a lot going on. He never questioned it,” Sheriff William Snyder of Martin County told the AP, “He never questioned it.” A long gun that was pointed at President Trump and was seen by Secret Service officials close to the course’s fence line prompted the traffic stop. It is said that Routh left the firearm and a supply backpack behind.
Routh, a prolific user of social media, lashed out at the Chinese for “biological warfare” and referred to the COVID-19 outbreak as a “attack” on the United States after it broke. In 2023, he was interviewed by the New York Times over American involvement in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. “Soldiers, don’t call me, please. In July, Routh said on Facebook, “We are still working to get Ukraine to accept Afghan soldiers and hope to have some answers in the coming months… please have patience.” The Ukrainian army’s international legion declared on Sunday that it had no affiliation with the alleged gunman. We would like to make it clear that Ryan Wesley Routh has never held any position of membership in, affiliation with, or connection to the International Legion. The legion emailed NBC News, saying, “Any claims or suggestions indicating otherwise are entirely inaccurate.”
According to other documents the BBC was able to get, Routh’s criminal history dates back to 2002, when he provoked an hour-long confrontation with the police in Greensboro, North Carolina. Despite receiving a probationary term for the incident, he was found guilty of many felonies in the state between 2002 and 2010. After supporting Trump in 2016, Routh seems to be disappointed with the politician in another July 2020 social media post. A post from the now-deleted X account said, “@realDonaldTrump While you were my choice in 2106 [sic], I and the world hoped that president Trump would be different and better than the candidate, but we were all greatly disappointed and it seems you are getting worse and devolving; are you retarded; I will be glad when you gone [sic].”
According to NBC News, Routh will make his court debut on Monday at 10 a.m. at the Paul G. Rogers Federal Building and U.S. Court House in West Palm Beach, Florida. Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida has ordered state investigators to begin looking into the circumstances surrounding Routh’s approach to the Republican nominee and former president, which came to within 500 yards of him.
