Son of Florida Suspect Speaks Out Following Alleged Assassination Attempt on Donald Trump

World News 16/09/2024

The son of a man accused of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump at a Florida golf course on Sunday spoke out, revealing that his father had traveled to Ukraine to volunteer in what was described as providing “humanitarian” aid to soldiers defending the country from Russian forces after the 2022 invasion.

A source with knowledge of the investigation confirmed to *The Guardian* that the suspect in the incident is 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh. However, law enforcement has not yet officially named him, and no clear motive has been established.

Ryan’s son, Oran Routh, stated that he had been unable to contact his father or obtain further details about the accusations, so he refrained from commenting on his father’s behalf. Nevertheless, he emphasized his father’s strong support for Ukraine.

During a brief phone conversation, Oran said, “My dad went over there and witnessed people fighting and dying. He tried to help, but things were not as they seemed.”

Referring to Trump, who had recently dodged questions about his stance on Ukraine’s conflict with Russia during a presidential debate, Oran commented, “Meanwhile, this guy’s just sitting at his desk, not doing anything.”

A review of a Twitter/X account under Ryan Routh’s name showed multiple posts related to Ukraine. In August 2023, Ryan posted about being in Kyiv and wanting to establish a tent city to encourage more international aid and equipment for Ukraine. Another post suggested that President Zelenskiy should ask the U.S. Congress to grant military personnel paid leave to fight as civilians in Ukraine.

One post from December also showed concern for Haiti, a country dealing with civil unrest. Trump had mentioned both Ukraine and Haiti in a debate with Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate for the upcoming election on November 5.

Regarding Ukraine, Trump stated only that he wanted the war to end but avoided saying he wanted Ukraine to emerge victorious, sparking worries that, if re-elected, he could suspend U.S. military support for the country.

When asked what message he would give his father, Oran said, “I know things aren’t working right now, but we need to keep discussing.” He then excused himself to seek further information about his father’s arrest.

In a separate interview with CNN, Oran described his father as a “loving and caring” man, saying, “I don’t know what happened in Florida, and I hope this situation is exaggerated because what I’ve heard doesn’t match the man I know.”

Records show that a Ryan Routh, matching the suspect’s name and age, is registered to vote in North Carolina as a Democrat. However, posts from the account bearing his name reflected a mix of political opinions. The account mentioned voting for Trump in 2016 and expressing support for a 2024 Republican ticket with Vivek Ramaswamy and Nikki Haley.

The account’s most recent post, directed at Kamala Harris, encouraged her and President Biden to visit two people injured and attend the funeral of someone killed at a political rally in July, before a Secret Service sniper killed the attacker.

The incident on Sunday reportedly involved the suspect aiming a rifle through a fence at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. Trump was playing golf at the time. A Secret Service agent noticed the rifle and fired a shot, prompting the suspect to flee before being apprehended in a nearby county.