The story that has recently shocked American public opinion concerns the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, which took place inside his golf course in Florida. This is the second attack after that of Butler, Pennsylvania. This time nobody died and the presidential candidate was not injured in the head, as was the case two months ago. The accused of this serious episode is Ryan Wesley Routha 58-year-old man originally from North Carolina, who had moved to Hawaii in 2018. This event has raised a series of questions not only about the safety of former presidents but also about the current state of political debate in America.
Who was the attacker?
Routh, in the days leading up to the assassination attempt, was known for his activities on social networks, where he had expressed political opinions of various kinds. Although he had supported Trump in the 2016 elections, over time he had expressed dissent towards the former president, instead supporting Joe Biden during the primaries of Democratic Party.
Routh’s interest in the issue was particularly well known. Ukraineso much so that he had explicitly expressed his desire to support Ukraine in the conflict with Russia. Although he had no military experience, he had offered to fight alongside the Ukrainians and had attempted to recruit fighters. “I would like to buy one of your missiles and load it with a warhead for Putin’s refuge in the Black Sea to finish it off. If you can tell me the price please, it can be old and used,” he had asked on X to Elon Musk.
Routh had a history of criminal activity, including an arrest in 2002, when after a chase with the police, he took refuge in a company in Greensboro. Despite this, his family described him as a kind man, highlighting a clear contrast between his public image and his private personality. “Ryan is my father and I have no comment to make, other than that he is an honest man and hard worker. I don’t know what happened in Florida: from what I’ve heard he doesn’t seem like the person I know. He’s a good father,” his son Oran Routh said.
His support for Trump was just an old memory and he now showed himself as a supporter of democratic figures like Biden. The donations made to democratic candidates, since 2019, confirm his alignment. In 2020 he had aligned himself with Tulsi Gabbard. In 2024 he had asked the two anti-Donald Republican candidates not to give up in the primaries and to “fight” until the end to prevent the tycoon from winning and running again. He dreamed of a “democratic and free” America led by Joe Biden and maybe at some point he decided to move from theory to action.
What happened yesterday
It was late afternoon, around 1.30 pm, when Trump, in the company of the financier Steve Witkoffwas playing between the fifth and sixth hole of his golf course. Their activity was abruptly interrupted by a decisive action by the agents of the Secret Servicepresent to ensure the former president’s safety. One of the officers spotted the barrel of a rifle protruding from the club’s fence and quickly neutralized the suspect, according to West Palm Beach Sheriff Ric Bradshaw.
The risk the armed individual posed to Trump, being at an estimated distance of 300 to 500 meters, was undeniable, considering the weapon’s long-range shooting capabilities. At the club’s outer perimeter, authorities subsequently AK-47 rifle discovered and two backpacks full of ammunition, as well as a camera. As a result, the former president was quickly taken to safety inside one of the club’s buildings.
https://x.com/Huberton/status/1835465495706833179/video/1
Thanks to the watchful eye of a witness who photographed the license plate of a vehicle leaving the scene, it was possible arrest the suspect. This crucial information prompted the Sheriff’s Office to respond promptly at approximately 1:30 p.m. The detailed description of the vehicle and its timely reporting helped apprehend the suspect as he was traveling on I-95. Martin County Sheriff William D. Snyder described the suspect as “relatively calm” at the time of his arrest, and the suspect did not comment on the incident.