A man named Ryan Wesley Routh is making headlines after he allegedly tried to target former President Donald Trump on Sunday. Federal officials are now looking into his mental health because of some strange things he’s posted online.
Routh, 58, has a history that’s far from ordinary. He’s been in trouble with the law before and even tried to get Afghan fighters to join the Ukrainian military. He also wrote a book where he questions why Russian President Vladimir Putin is still alive despite many high-profile assassinations.
On Sunday, after fleeing Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida, Routh was quickly taken into custody. Authorities haven’t officially named him or charged him with any crime yet, but media reports suggest he’s the one in question.
Routh spent most of his life in North Carolina but moved to Kaaawa, Hawaii in 2018. He even donated to the 2020 presidential campaign of Tulsi Gabbard, a Democratic candidate from Hawaii. His political views seem to have changed since then.
In 2020, he told Trump to crack down on police misconduct to secure reelection, and he voted for Trump in 2016. But it looks like he switched his support to the Democrats later on.
Routh’s criminal record includes a 2002 conviction for having a fully automatic machine gun, which led to a standoff with police. He barricaded himself in his business after a traffic stop went awry.
In 2022, Routh became passionate about the conflict in Ukraine, calling it a battle of good versus evil. He even tried to join the Ukrainian military but was rejected. Instead, he worked with activists to raise aid and recruit fighters for Ukraine.
Routh also tried to get former Afghan commandos to fight for Ukraine but faced challenges. He shared his disappointment online, noting that Ukrainians were suspicious of new recruits.
He was mentioned in a New York Times article about Americans volunteering in Ukraine, some of whom were criticized for dishonesty. Despite setbacks, Routh continued supporting Ukraine and even worked on a website to recruit fighters for Taiwan against China.
Routh wrote a self-published book titled Ukraine’s Unwinnable War, which discussed global conflicts and questioned why Putin hasn’t been assassinated, comparing it to other famous assassinations in the U.S. He also apologized to Iran for President Biden’s failure to revive a nuclear deal, suggesting Iran might be justified in taking drastic actions.
As authorities investigate, Routh’s story continues to unfold, revealing a complex and unsettling profile.
