Routh, a known supporter of Democratic causes and a vocal advocate for Ukraine, has a history of political activism. He had previously claimed in interviews to have travelled to Kyiv to support the Ukrainian military in their fight against Russia.
Ryan Wesley Routh, a 58-year-old North Carolina resident, was on Sunday (September 15) arrested after what the FBI has described as an "apparent assassination attempt" against former US President Donald Trump. The incident took place at Trump's Florida golf course, where Routh was found armed with an AK-47-style assault rifle and a GoPro camera.
Routh, a known supporter of Democratic causes and a vocal advocate for Ukraine, has a history of political activism. He had previously claimed in interviews to have travelled to Kyiv to support the Ukrainian military in their fight against Russia. According to Routh, he initially went to Ukraine at the outbreak of the war to recruit volunteers for the cause, reflecting his deeply held belief in the importance of the conflict.
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The attempted assassination took place just two months after another attack on Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, where the former President was shot in the ear during a rally. Although no injuries were reported in this latest incident, authorities recovered a significant amount of equipment from Routh, including a rifle, scope, and backpacks. Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw confirmed these details at a news conference following Routh's arrest.
With an extensive criminal record, Routh had relocated to Hawaii in 2018 after attending North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. He has consistently expressed his political views, often criticizing Trump and urging support for Democratic candidates and causes. Despite his support for candidates like Vivek Ramaswamy and Nikki Haley, Routh has remained fixated on removing Trump from the political stage, as evidenced by his social media activity.
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In a post from April 2024, Routh slammed Trump, accusing him of attempting to undermine American democracy. He called on voters to support President Joe Biden's re-election campaign, framing the election as a battle for the country's future. His rhetoric mirrored the concerns of many Democratic supporters, but Routh's actions have now taken a dark and violent turn.