In a shocking revelation, Ryan Routh, 58, has been accused of plotting to assassinate former President Donald Trump, with disturbing correspondence surfacing in connection with his alleged plans. The letter, which prosecutors claim was written months prior, detailed an assassination attempt and has raised serious concerns about Routh’s intentions.
Routh was apprehended on September 15 after allegedly fleeing Trump International Golf Course in West Palm Beach, Florida. He faces two firearms-related charges. According to federal prosecutors, a Secret Service agent spotted a rifle protruding from the tree line near Trump during a round of golf, prompting the agent to fire at Routh. A witness later reported seeing Routh escape in a vehicle.
In a court filing on Monday, prosecutors detailed the chilling contents of a box that Routh had delivered to an unidentified individual’s home months earlier. The box reportedly contained ammunition, a metal pipe, building materials, phones, and several letters. After hearing about the assassination attempt, the witness opened the box and found a letter addressed to “The World.”
“This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I failed you,” the letter stated. “I tried my best and gave it all the gumption I could muster. It is up to you now to finish the job; and I will offer $150,000 to whomever can complete the job.” The letter’s reference to a potential assassination raises questions about whether it relates to the incident at the golf course or an earlier attempt.
Authorities believe Routh may have been lying in wait for Trump at the golf course for nearly 12 hours prior to his arrest. The government alleges that Routh traveled to Florida a month before his apprehension to scout the golf course and observe Trump’s oceanfront home.
In social media posts, Routh expressed his disillusionment with Trump, despite having voted for him in the 2016 presidential election. “Everyone across the globe from the youngest to the oldest know that Trump is unfit to be anything, much less a US president,” he wrote in the letter, which was included in the court documents. “US presidents must at bare minimum embody the moral fabric that is America, and be kind, caring and selfless and always stand for humanity. Trump fails to understand any of that.”
Routh faces charges of illegally possessing a firearm with a scratched-out serial number and being a felon in possession of a firearm. More serious charges could arise as the case is presented to a federal grand jury.
Sources By Agencies
