Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, the suspect in an attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump at his Florida golf club on Sunday, has a history of pro-Ukraine activism and financial support for Democratic candidates.
Routh was arrested after allegedly aiming an AK-47 rifle at Trump from a distance while he was playing a round of golf at his West Palm Beach club.
The incident marks another in a series of attempts on the former president’s life, with Trump’s security forces reacting quickly to avert the threat.
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Routh, originally from Greensboro, North Carolina, and now residing in Kaaawa, Hawaii, has made headlines not only for his involvement in the assassination attempt but also for his support of Ukraine’s war effort.
In 2022, Routh traveled to Ukraine, where he claimed to have assisted in recruiting foreign fighters for the International Legion, a Ukrainian military unit composed of volunteers from around the world.
Routh frequently posted on social media about his activities in Ukraine and his commitment to fighting Russian forces.
In a video posted online during his time in Ukraine, Routh explained his role in recruiting and supporting foreign fighters. “Most wonder what I’m doing in Ukraine. This is a center to help people when they come from other countries have a location, someone to talk to as a greeting committee to get them in the location they need to be,” he said, describing his involvement in organizing volunteer efforts.
Despite having no military experience, Routh expressed a desire to join the fight, although he ultimately worked in a non-combat capacity due to his age.
Routh also claimed to have recruited Afghan soldiers, some of whom were fleeing the Taliban, to fight in Ukraine.
He told The New York Times in a 2023 interview that he had been working on moving Afghan soldiers from Pakistan and Iran to Ukraine, even suggesting he could acquire passports through corrupt channels. “We can probably purchase some passports through Pakistan, since it’s such a corrupt country,” he said.
The New York Times wrote a profile on Ryan W. Routh back in 2023.
He helped recruit fighters to Ukraine.
Today, he tried to kiII Trump. pic.twitter.com/886JVXxZzX
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) September 15, 2024
It remains unclear how successful his recruitment efforts were, though one former Afghan soldier confirmed that Routh had contacted him with the opportunity to fight.
On May 4, 2024, would-be Trump assassin Ryan Routh posted this on his Facebook page, which appears to be from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense.
I asked ChatGPT to translate it, and, uh… pic.twitter.com/tAvp4JQ7J0
— Raheem. (@RaheemKassam) September 15, 2024
Routh’s commitment to Ukraine’s war effort extended beyond recruitment. He was heavily involved in fundraising and coordinating aid for Ukraine and even appeared in interviews with international media to promote his cause.
In a 2022 interview with Newsweek Romania, Routh stated, “This is about good versus evil. This is a storybook, you know, any movie we’ve ever watched, this is definitely evil against good. We need thousands and thousands of people here fighting with Ukrainians.”
Routh also seems to have featured in promotional material for the Azov Battalion, a controversial Ukrainian militia linked to neo-Nazi affiliations.
EXCLUSIVE: Attempted Trump assassin Ryan Routh appeared in a propaganda video for the AZOV BATTALLION in May 2022 pic.twitter.com/eugjHXHXqw
— Jack Poso 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) September 16, 2024
However, Routh’s political views and activities were not limited to Ukraine. He had a documented history of political donations and social media posts supporting Democratic candidates.
Federal Election Commission (FEC) records reveal that Routh made 19 donations to Democratic campaigns through ActBlue, the Democrats’ fundraising platform, between 2020 and 2022.
EXC – FEC Records show suspected Trump sh**ter Ryan Routh made 19 political donations – all to Democrats.
Recipients include Elizabeth Warren, Beto, Andrew Yang, Tom Steyer, and Tulsi Gabbard in 2019 and 2020. pic.twitter.com/pYZAZjk48g
— Natalie Winters (@nataliegwinters) September 15, 2024
His contributions, totaling $144.40, were directed toward a range of candidates, including Elizabeth Warren, Andrew Yang, Tulsi Gabbard, and Tom Steyer.
Routh’s political allegiance appears to have shifted over the years. In 2016, he reportedly voted for Donald Trump but later became disillusioned with the former president. In 2020, Routh publicly supported Tulsi Gabbard, a Democratic candidate from Hawaii, before eventually backing Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. His social media posts from recent years show his growing frustration with Trump, with one post in June 2020 reading, “While you were my choice in 2106 [sic], I and the world hoped that president Trump would be different and better than the candidate, but we all were greatly disappointed.”
Despite his shift in political alignment, Routh continued to express support for pro-Ukraine efforts, even advocating for U.S. soldiers to join the fight. He also expressed interest in supporting defense efforts for Taiwan and South Korea.
.@JackPosobiec on would-be assassin Ryan Wesley Routh: This guy was clearly radicalized. pic.twitter.com/iJNBNmnF6t
— Wojciech Pawelczyk (@WojPawelczyk) September 15, 2024
The attempted assassination took place on Sunday afternoon while Trump was playing golf at his West Palm Beach club.
Secret Service agents stationed on the course noticed the muzzle of a rifle sticking through the shrubbery about 400 yards from where Trump was playing. An agent opened fire, forcing Routh to flee in an SUV, leaving behind an AK-47 rifle, two backpacks, a GoPro camera, and a scope.
Routh was later apprehended by law enforcement in Martin County, Florida, where he was described as calm and unresponsive to questions about why he had been stopped. “He never asked, ‘What is this about?’” said Martin County Sheriff William Snyder. “Obviously, law enforcement with long rifles, blue lights, a lot going on. He never questioned it.”
Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw praised the quick action of the Secret Service, noting that the incident could have been much worse. “The Secret Service did exactly what they should have done,” Bradshaw said. “They provided exactly what the protection should have been, and their agent did a fantastic job.”
Routh’s background includes a 2002 conviction for possessing a weapon of mass destruction after a standoff with police in North Carolina, further raising questions about his motives and past behavior.
His social media accounts have since been taken down, but users had already archived many of his posts, shedding light on his political views and activities.
Is this evidence the Trump assassin was a CIA asset?
It’s still early, don’t jump to any conclusions.
I’m just out here doing the FBIs job for them because we all know Chris Ray busy prepping the cover up as we speak.
Shoutout @SomeBitchIIKnow for the archives pic.twitter.com/K3jARUWDYh
— Ian Carroll (@Cancelcloco) September 16, 2024
As the investigation continues, authorities are examining Routh’s ties to Ukraine and his evolving political beliefs.
The attempted assassination underscores the ongoing security concerns surrounding Trump as he campaigns for the 2024 presidential election.
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He is clearly a CIA/Intel asset. Whether a CIA employee or contract employee he is certainly a U.S. intel asset.