Jury selection is scheduled to start Monday in the trial of a man accused of attempting to assassinate then former President Donald Trump last fall.
Ryan Wesley Routh is charged with plotting for weeks before allegedly aiming a rifle at Trump as he played golf at his West Palm Beach country club in September. According to federal prosecutors, Routh positioned himself in shrubbery near the course before a Secret Service agent spotted what appeared to be a rifle in the treeline and fired in that direction.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Ryan Routh charged with attempted assassination of Donald Trump
Routh allegedly fled the scene in a Nissan SUV but was arrested a short time later. Authorities said a witness provided a description of the suspected gunman, which led deputies from the Martin County Sheriff’s Office to stop Routh on nearby Interstate 95.
A criminal complaint charges him with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. In addition to federal charges, Routh has also pleaded not guilty to state charges of attempted murder and terrorism.
Authorities said the golf course was not fully swept before Trump began golfing, but agents were checking several holes ahead of him to look for potential threats.
Routh lived in North Carolina prior to moving to Hawaii, where he owned a construction company. The 59-year-old has been an outspoken critic of Trump and a supporter of Ukraine. He reportedly volunteered to fight for Ukraine in its war with Russia. He also called the president “an idiot, a buffoon, and a fool” in his self-published book.
Routh also admitted that he was attempting to assassinate Trump. A handwritten letter prosecutors said was turned over by a civilian witness is addressed to the "world." It states, “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."
ADDITIONAL REPORTING | Prosecutors say suspect left note about Trump: 'This was an assassination attempt'
Routh has a criminal past involving guns. In 2002, the Greensboro News & Record reported Routh barricaded himself inside a roofing business in North Carolina during a three-hour standoff with police. Routh was hit with several charges in the incident, including possession of a weapon of mass destruction, which was a fully automatic machine gun.
Opening statements in the trial are expected Thursday. Although the court has allocated weeks for the trial, attorneys anticipate it will take less time. Routh is expected to represent himself.
