- Suspect plotted Trump assassination, wrote pre-attempt note
- Arrested after rifle found near golf course
- Routh’s trial and charges pending
A suspected gunman, arrested near Donald Trump’s golf course, had written a note months earlier stating his intent to kill the former president, according to a recent court filing. The note explicitly read, “This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump.”
Prosecutors revealed the letter on Monday and plan to charge 58-year-old Ryan Routh with the attempted assassination of a political candidate. Routh has been in custody since his arrest on 15 September in Florida. U.S. Federal Judge Ryon McCabe ordered Routh to remain detained without bail, citing the strong evidence against him.
Currently, Routh faces two federal gun charges, including possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. However, federal prosecutors intend to present the case to a grand jury, seeking additional charges for plotting to assassinate Trump.
The pre-written letter, addressed to “The World,” was sent to an unnamed witness months before Routh’s arrest. In the letter, Routh stated, “I tried my best and gave it all the gumption I could muster,” and even offered a cash reward to anyone who could “complete the job.” The letter, along with ammunition, building materials, tools, and phones, was delivered to the witness, who later reported the contents to authorities.
The incident unfolded when a Secret Service agent patrolling Trump’s West Palm Beach golf course spotted Routh’s face in the foliage near the sixth hole. Noticing a rifle, the agent fired his weapon after seeing Routh move his gun, though Routh did not fire back. The suspect fled the scene, leaving behind his rifle and other items but was apprehended shortly after a witness spotted him on Interstate 95.
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Court documents revealed that Routh had 11 rounds of ammunition, one chambered in his rifle. Investigators also found a list of Trump’s public appearances from August to October and phone records placing Routh near Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort for nearly a month before his arrest.
Routh, originally from North Carolina but recently living in Hawaii, has a history of legal issues, including multiple theft charges from 1997 to 2010. In 2022, he traveled to Ukraine in a failed attempt to recruit foreign soldiers for Ukraine’s military. Described by one Ukrainian soldier as “delusional,” Routh’s ideas were dismissed, and he was rejected from the legion due to his age and lack of combat experience.
Prosecutors argue that Routh poses a flight risk and a danger to the public, urging that he remain in custody. His arraignment hearing is scheduled for 30 September, where he will plead either guilty or not guilty.
