Suspect in probable second assassination attempt on Trump tried to recruit volunteers for Ukraine
Ryan Wesley Routh (photo: screenshot from Newsweek video)
58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh, who was arrested by police following a shooting at a golf course in Florida where former US President Donald Trump was present, had expressed support for Ukraine on social media. He also operated a website where he attempted to raise funds and recruit volunteers for the war against Russia, reports AP.
Routh lived in North Carolina for most of his life before moving to Kaaawa, Hawaii, in 2018. There, he and his son ran a company that built sheds.
He frequently posted on social media about the war in Ukraine and operated a website aimed at raising funds and recruiting volunteers for the fight against Russian aggression.
In June 2020, he posted on social media X (formerly Twitter), urging then-President Trump to win reelection by directing the Department of Justice to investigate police misconduct.
That year, he also supported the presidential campaign of Tulsi Gabbard, then a Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii who now supports Trump.
However, in recent years, Routh criticized Trump in his posts and expressed support for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
In July, following an attack on Trump in Pennsylvania, Routh called on Biden and Harris to visit the injured from the shooting at the hospital and attend the funeral of a firefighter who died at the rally.
Voter registration records show that he registered as an independent voter in North Carolina in 2012 and last voted in person during the North Carolina Democratic primary in March 2024.
Shooting incident
On Sunday evening, Trump's campaign team stated that the former president was safe after shots were fired nearby.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has described the incident as an apparent attempt to assassinate former President Trump.
The incident occurred at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. Secret Service agents, who were guarding Trump, reportedly noticed an armed man and opened fire on him. The man fled the scene but was later apprehended while moving in a vehicle. The suspect is currently in custody.
