Second would-be Trump assassin linked to left-wing extremism
Authorities have identified Ryan Wesley Routh as the suspect in the second assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, according to law enforcement sources.
The incident took place Sunday afternoon local time at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach while Trump was on the course.
Routh allegedly approached the golf club with an assault rifle, managing to push the gun's muzzle through a chain link fence while Trump was playing the fifth hole. Authorities say he was positioned between 300 and 500 yards away from the former president.
BREAKING: Officials say Trump did not have Secret Service protection surrounding the golf course because “he is not the sitting president.”
— Yanky 🇺🇲 (@Yanky_Pollak) September 15, 2024
Have they learned nothing from Butler? pic.twitter.com/ScoJfvGsBR
Secret Service agents spotted Routh and opened fire. Although he initially fled, he was later apprehended by law enforcement. Routh was found with two backpacks and a GoPro camera. The rifle was discovered in the bushes near the scene.
58-year-old Routh has frequently advocated for left-wing causes on social media. His LinkedIn profile shows he studied at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University before relocating to Hawaii around 2018. He describes himself as "mechanically minded" and interested in “creative projects with artistic flair.”
They’re really victim blaming him… https://t.co/vW7VdLOxBw
— Sarah Stock ♱ (@sarahcstock) September 15, 2024
Routh is reportedly the owner of Camp Box Honolulu, a small shed-building company that has garnered mixed reviews.
President Trump's round of golf was NOT on any public schedule.
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) September 15, 2024
How did the suspect know Trump was golfing there today?
How did he get a semi-automatic rifle so close to the president? pic.twitter.com/FvWw5cdukv
Although his activity on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) slowed down over the past year, Routh often used the platform to criticize political figures such as Trump.
In one particularly bizarre exchange, Routh sent a message to X’s owner Elon Musk, suggesting he wanted to buy a rocket to target a mansion owned by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Hours after a leftwing Ukraine obsessed nut job attempts to assassinate my father, neocon loser @BillKristol accuses @JDVance of inciting violence. Does it get any more vile than this? pic.twitter.com/jJuW8TInI4
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) September 15, 2024
“I wish to load it with a warhead for Putin’s Black Sea mansion bunker to end him,” he wrote.
These people are fucking demented pic.twitter.com/CMPkchHKzu
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) September 15, 2024
Routh also demonstrated strong support for Ukraine and Taiwan. On his social media, he claimed to have proposed a plan to send former Afghan soldiers to fight for Ukraine, though the idea was repeatedly rejected.
He also visited Kyiv and expressed his willingness to join the fight on the front lines if allowed.
The cover-up begins.
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) September 15, 2024
Facebook just scrubbed the page of Ryan Routh, Trump's attempted assassin. pic.twitter.com/uhPvrZbuGr
This marks the second attempt on Trump’s life in just two months, sparking concerns over political violence. A joint statement from the Task Force on the attempted assassination, issued by Chairman Mike Kelly and Jason Crow, condemned the attack.
This won't be the last attempt on Trump’s life because desperate Dems know how badly they're losing
— Avi Yemini (@OzraeliAvi) September 15, 2024
"We are thankful that the former President was not harmed, but remain deeply concerned about political violence and condemn it in all of its forms," the statement read.
The FBI is now investigating the incident, which they confirmed as an assassination attempt.
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