Hours before would-be Trump shooter Ryan Wesley Routh’s first court appearance, prosecutors released a letter allegedly written by Routh outlining his motives for targeting the former president. According to new filings, federal authorities detailed a plain white letter that reveals Routh had planned to shoot and kill Trump while he was on the fifth hole of his golf course. The letter corroborates Routh’s movements around the perimeter of the golf course as part of his scheme, reports said.
News of the letter came from an individual who claimed that Routh dropped off a box at his home months earlier, which they said “contained ammunition, a metal pipe, miscellaneous building materials, tools, four phones, and various letters,” prosecutors wrote. Addressed to “The World,” the letter said, “This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I failed you. 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.”
Would-be Trump assassin Ryan Routh wrote a letter to the “World” in the event his assassination attempt failed and says he would give $150,000 to anyone who “completes the job”. pic.twitter.com/Gutl8iuwjA
— ALX ?? (@alx) September 23, 2024
The letter provides further insight into what drove the 58-year-old Routh to attempt his plan, reinforcing the theory that he was dissatisfied with President Trump’s international diplomacy. He “ended relations with Iran like a child and now the Middle East has unraveled,” the letter states, according to CNN. Within days, other outlets revealed that Routh had previously traveled to Ukraine to support the country’s fight against Russia. The New York Times confirmed last week that it had interviewed the Hawaii resident about his efforts to recruit an international group of fighters for Ukraine’s cause.
At Monday’s detention hearing, Routh will face two firearms charges, including the removal of the serial number from the AK-47-style rifle he allegedly discarded outside Trump International Golf Course in West Palm Beach. Secret Service agents fired at Routh after noticing the rifle’s barrel protruding from the fence line. Routh is said to have dropped the weapon and a backpack containing a GoPro camera and other reconnaissance materials before being apprehended in a fleeing vehicle. Authorities have said they don’t believe Routh managed to fire any shots at Trump.
Cell phone data to be presented in court suggests that Routh waited up to 12 hours before President Trump came into his line of sight. Prosecutors also allege that Routh surveilled Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property multiple times in the months preceding his assassination attempt, marking the second such incident against Trump in two months. Evidence to be shown on Monday will further indicate that Routh had a handwritten list of dates and locations where President Trump was scheduled to speak leading up to the November 5th election.
