The alleged would-be assassin in the latest assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump has been identified as a Democratic donor who pushed popular anti-Trump rhetoric on social media and worked to transport volunteer fighters to fight in the war in Ukraine.
According to Fox News, 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh was arrested on Sunday after he allegedly pushed the muzzle of an AK-47 through the fencing outside Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. The former president, who was golfing near the location of Routh, was safely transported away from the scene while Secret Service agents fired at the suspect, according to The Post Millennial.
Although Routh was able to escape from the Trump International Golf Club, the alleged would-be assassin was later taken into custody by local police officers on Interstate 95. Fox News reported that Routh posted a significant number of anti-Trump political statements on social media and had a history of at least 100 encounters with police.
Fox News reported that Routh currently lives in Hawaii; however, the alleged would-be assassin spent most of his life as a construction worker and business owner in North Carolina.
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According to the Post Millennial, Routh has financially contributed to Democratic candidates and left-leaning causes since 2019. Federal Election Commission filings obtained by the outlet show that he donated more than $140 through the Democratic Party’s ActBlue platform from September 2019 to March 2020.
According to The Post Millennial, Routh’s statements on social media emphasize his consistent support for Ukraine, as the would-be assassin repeatedly urged the United States to defend democracy. The outlet also noted that Routh ran a website that focused on recruiting and transporting volunteer fighters across the world to fight against Russia in Ukraine. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Routh said he was even “willing to die for Ukraine.”
The Post Millennial reported that while Routh’s Facebook and X accounts have been removed online, many of the would-be Trump assassin’s posts have been documented and preserved by other users.
In one post on X, Routh claimed that the former president’s campaign should be labeled “MASA” or “make Americans slaves again master.” Prior to President Joe Biden’s decision to drop out of the 2024 election, Routh called on Biden to concentrate his campaign on keeping America “democratic and free.”
In another post on social media, Routh wrote, “DEMOCRACY is on the ballot and we cannot lose.”
In an anti-Trump post obtained by The Post Millennial, Routh stated, “I and the world hoped that president Trump would be different and better than the candidate, but we all were greatly disappointment and it seems you are getting worse and devolving; are you retarded; I will be glad when you gone.”
A picture of Routh was shared on social media following his arrest on Sunday.
