The man arrested for an apparent attempt to assassinate former President Donald Trump was identified as Ryan Wesley Routh, a former supporter who turned against Trump due to foreign policy reasons. Routh had been camped out in a wooded area near a Florida golf course where Trump was playing before he was arrested. He had a loaded rifle with him, but did not get a shot off. Routh was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. The FBI is investigating the incident as an attempted assassination, but Routh has not been charged with trying to kill Trump.
Routh, who previously supported Trump but later criticized him, wrote a self-published book where he expressed regret for voting for Trump in 2016. In his book, Routh mentioned misjudging Trump and apologizing for Trump’s actions regarding the Iran nuclear deal. He also made controversial statements about assassinating Trump and himself. Court records show Routh has had several run-ins with the law, including a conviction for illegally possessing a machine gun in 2002. He currently lives in Hawaii with his son but previously resided in Greensboro, North Carolina, where he ran a roofing business.
Routh was known to be active on social media and made contributions to the Democratic fundraising platform ActBlue in 2019 and 2020. Despite his political affiliations, Routh rejected being categorized as a Democrat or Republican and insisted he was an independent. He criticized Trump as a “fool” and “buffoon” but praised him for reaching out to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Routh also expressed disappointment in President Joe Biden’s actions, calling him “Sleepy Joe.”
Routh visited Ukraine in 2022 and claimed to have volunteered to fight for the International Legion for the Defense of Ukraine, but was reportedly turned down due to his age and lack of combat experience. Instead, Routh said he assisted in military recruitment efforts in Kyiv. However, a representative of the International Legion stated that Routh never served in its military. In his book, Routh also criticized the Ukrainian government’s treatment of foreigners who volunteered to fight against Russia.
After being arrested for the attempted assassination of Trump, Routh appeared in court in prison scrubs and revealed that he had a son and owned two trucks in Hawaii. He was represented by a public defender and given a return court date. Routh’s motives were not discussed during the court appearance. Despite living in Hawaii, Routh previously resided in Greensboro, North Carolina, where he ran a roofing business. He had over 100 run-ins with the law but never served time, and in 2002 he was convicted of illegally possessing a machine gun. Routh’s relatives in Greensboro declined to speak with reporters following his arrest.
Body camera footage released by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office showed Routh being arrested without incident after being found near the Florida golf course where Trump was playing. The Secret Service agency has faced scrutiny over their handling of the situation, as Routh was able to camp near the course for 12 hours with a loaded rifle. The incident raised concerns about the protection of politicians, especially one like Trump who had survived a previous assassination attempt. Routh’s past support for Trump, followed by his criticism and attempted assassination, highlighted the volatile nature of U.S. politics and the extreme actions some individuals may take.
