Ryan Wesley Routh, a 58-year-old homebuilder from Hawaii, has been arrested in Florida after allegedly attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump. The arrest comes after a Secret Service agent reportedly spotted a rifle barrel sticking out from a fence as Trump played golf at his Palm Beach golf course. The agent opened fire, causing Routh to flee the scene by car, though no shots were exchanged. Routh has been charged with two counts, including possession of a firearm while a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
In what appears to be the second attempt to assassinate Trump in about two months, Routh’s arrest has brought attention to his unusual activities and public persona. A vocal political figure on social media, Routh depicted himself as a globe-trotting freedom fighter, tweeting at world leaders, advocating for Ukraine, and expressing an unyielding willingness to die for his causes.
Routh had spent time in Ukraine, where he claimed to be working to bring foreign fighters to the country from Afghanistan, although his efforts were dismissed by Ukrainian military officials as unrealistic and “delusional.” His online presence, particularly on Twitter (now X), painted him as a supporter of Ukraine’s war effort against Russia. He repeatedly implored President Joe Biden to send more weapons to Ukraine and offered military advice to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, though he received no public responses to his messages. Routh’s grandiose claims extended to his assertion that he had arranged the delivery of 120 drones to the front lines in Ukraine, though these claims remain unverified.
Despite his attempts to portray himself as an important figure in the Ukraine conflict, his real-world impact appears to have been limited. Multiple sources from Ukraine’s International Legion, where foreign volunteers fight, confirmed that Routh had reached out to them, but his offers of large-scale support were deemed unrealistic. One Ukrainian official described Routh’s messages as full of “delusional ideas,” while others noted that he had never officially joined the legion or played a part in any coordinated efforts. Journalists and military personnel who encountered Routh during his time in Ukraine described him as an eccentric individual, deeply committed to the cause, but mentally unstable and out of place in a war zone.
Beyond Ukraine, Routh’s online activity revealed an individual deeply critical of former President Trump. While Routh claimed to have supported Trump in the 2016 election, his tone had shifted by 2020, when he criticized Trump’s presidency and even suggested that Trump’s campaign slogan should be “make Americans slaves again.” Routh’s disillusionment with Trump was evident in his online posts, where he referred to the former president as an “idiot,” “buffoon,” and “fool.” He also attacked other political figures, including Democratic candidates during the 2019 and 2020 presidential elections, though he donated small amounts to their campaigns. Notably, Routh had supported candidates such as Tulsi Gabbard, Elizabeth Warren, and Andrew Yang, while also criticizing President Biden.
Routh’s political activism wasn’t limited to the U.S. or Ukraine. He claimed involvement in the so-called “Taiwan Foreign Legion,” a group allegedly recruiting foreign military personnel to fight for Taiwan in the event of a war with China. However, individuals listed as supporters of this group told CNN they had never heard of Routh or the group’s activities, further casting doubt on the legitimacy of his claims.
Before his international activities, Routh had a history of legal troubles in his native North Carolina. In 2002, he was arrested after a standoff with police, during which he barricaded himself inside a business with a machine gun. Over the years, he faced charges for various offenses, including felony possession of a weapon of mass destruction, writing worthless checks, and possession of stolen goods, among others. His past contrasts sharply with the image of an international “freedom fighter” he attempted to project later in life.
In Hawaii, where Routh had been living in recent years, he ran a small construction company focused on building tiny homes. His efforts to address homelessness in Hawaii garnered local media attention, and he was even featured in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser in 2019. Despite these efforts, Routh’s business activities were not without controversy. A local man, who had hired Routh to build a trailer, described an unsettling encounter after expressing dissatisfaction with Routh’s work. According to the customer, Routh became angry and confrontational.
In addition to his construction business, Routh made several public appearances through letters to the editor of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, where he wrote about issues such as homeless encampments, graffiti, and construction projects in Hawaii. He even floated the idea of running for mayor of Honolulu earlier this year, though he did not appear on the ballot in the primary election.
Routh’s son, Oran, expressed shock over his father’s arrest, describing Routh as a “loving and caring father” and an “honest, hardworking man.” He added that the charges against his father did not align with the man he knew, stating, “It doesn’t sound like the man I know to do anything crazy, much less violent.”
While Routh’s life appears to have been a patchwork of idealism, eccentricity, and legal trouble, his arrest for an alleged assassination attempt on a former president has brought his story into the national spotlight. His case now moves forward as authorities continue their investigation.
Stay tuned as we continue to follow this developing story.
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