US Seeks Attempted Assassination Charge Against Trump Suspect, Reports Reuters

By Andrew Goudsward

WEST PALM BEACH, Florida – The U.S. Justice Department is set to bring charges against a man accused of hiding with a firearm at former President Donald Trump’s Florida golf course. The potential charges include attempting to assassinate a significant political figure, which carries a life sentence if he is convicted, according to a prosecutor.

Ryan Routh, 58, has been ordered to remain in custody without bail pending trial on two gun-related charges stemming from his arrest on September 15. U.S. Magistrate Judge Ryon McCabe stated that prosecutors had evidence indicating Routh’s attempts to "stalk" Trump over the course of about a month in South Florida, seemingly with the intention of assassinating him.

Prosecutor Mark Dispoto announced that the Justice Department will seek a grand jury indictment for the more serious attempted assassination charge against Routh, who appeared in court handcuffed and shackled. During the hearing, prosecutors provided details of the evidence collected against him.

Prosecutors indicated that Routh had previously sent a letter mentioning an "assassination attempt" on Trump and referenced a $150,000 bounty on his life. Routh had reportedly set up a "sniper’s nest" near the sixth hole of Trump’s golf course, intending to kill him but was thwarted when a U.S. Secret Service agent fired upon seeing a rifle protruding from the fence.

"This was an easy shot," Dispoto remarked about Routh’s position, noting that Trump was expected to arrive in that area approximately 15 minutes later.

Routh’s defense attorneys unsuccessfully sought his release on a $250,000 bond, questioning the sufficiency of the prosecution’s evidence and claiming that Routh had attempted to support democracies like Ukraine and Taiwan.

Wearing a navy blue jumpsuit during the hearing, Routh did not speak. Prosecutors revealed that months prior to the incident, he had left a box at an unidentified witness’s home, which contained ammunition, a metal pipe, four phones, and a handwritten letter addressed to "the world" that offered a bounty on Trump. According to the filing, the letter stated, "This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I failed you. I will offer $150,000 to whomever can complete the job."

"PUBLICITY STUNT"

Kristy Militello, Routh’s attorney, argued that the letter suggested "an intent to fail" at the assassination attempt, implying it may have been more of a publicity stunt than anything else.

FBI Special Agent Christian Hull testified that another letter was discovered near Routh’s alleged position at the golf course, addressed to a prominent newspaper, although its content was not disclosed and was not presented as evidence.

Prosecutors noted that upon Routh’s arrest, his vehicle contained a list of dates in August, September, and October indicating locations where Trump had been or was scheduled to appear. Additionally, a search of his cellphone records showed pings from towers near the Trump International Golf Course and the Mar-a-Lago resort.

Routh has thus far been charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm with an altered serial number. He has not yet entered a plea.

Trump, in a statement, criticized the charges as insufficient, calling them "a slap on the wrist" for the accused.

After being fired upon by the Secret Service agent, Routh fled and was later apprehended on a highway in Florida. U.S. officials stated that Routh did not fire his weapon during the encounter and lacked a clear line of sight to Trump, who was several hundred yards away.

This incident occurred about two months after another shooting incident in which a gunman wounded Trump during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. That gunman was shot and killed by the Secret Service. These events have underscored the increasing pressures and threats faced by the agency amid rising political violence in the country.

Routh, a roofing contractor who had fallen on hard times and most recently lived in Hawaii, has a prior criminal background. He was a vocal supporter of Ukraine and attempted to recruit Afghans to assist in the fight against Russia’s invasion.

In December 2002, Routh was convicted in North Carolina for possessing a weapon of mass destruction and had a prior conviction for possessing stolen goods in 2010, according to court records.