The man accused of sitting in the trees with a rifle while Donald Trump played golf in West Palm Beach, Florida, earlier in September, Ryan Wesley Routh, previously wrote a letter stating “this was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump,” according to new court filings released by federal prosecutors on Monday.
Following the release of this information, U.S. Magistrate Judge Ryon McCabe ordered that Routh, 58, be held in custody without bail as his case progresses.
The judge emphasized the strength of the evidence against Routh, including the discovery of his fingerprint on tape used to affix a scope to the rifle found near the golf course and the contents of the disturbing letter.
The incident unfolded on September 15 at the Trump International Golf Club, where a Secret Service agent reportedly fired at Routh after noticing the barrel of a rifle poking out from the tree line, positioned several holes ahead of where Trump was playing.
Routh was allegedly seen by a witness running from the scene before driving away, and was later apprehended by authorities while driving on a nearby highway.
Court documents reveal that a witness who had received a box from Routh several months earlier became concerned after hearing about the attempted assassination and decided to open it.
Inside, they found ammunition, building materials, and four cell phones, along with a letter addressed to “The World.”
The letter stated: “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.” The letter criticized Trump for ending relations with Iran, claiming it led to instability in the Middle East: “Trump ended relations with Iran like a child and now the Middle East has unraveled,” the letter read.
Routh has been charged with two firearm offenses and could face additional charges as the investigation continues. Prosecutors presented evidence that Routh had been near Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence and golf course on multiple occasions in the weeks leading up to his arrest.
Cell phone data shows he may have been lying in wait at the golf course for nearly 12 hours on the day of the incident.
Additionally, agents found a list of dates and locations where Trump was scheduled to appear during the 2024 presidential campaign in Routh’s possession.
The investigation also uncovered Routh’s attempts to travel from Florida to Mexico. He had a Google search on one of his phones for directions from Palm Beach County to Mexico and had packed his car with six cell phones, 12 pairs of gloves, and personal identification, including a passport and a Hawaii driver’s license.
Routh had previously traveled to Ukraine in an attempt to join the fight against Russia and had worked in construction in Hawaii.
In online posts, Routh often expressed frustration with Trump, despite having voted for him in 2016. He criticized the former president, saying, “I will be glad when you gone.” He also wrote a book in which he addressed Iran, stating, “You are free to assassinate Trump.”
On the day of the incident, Routh’s position was described as being “directly in line” with the sixth hole, where Trump was expected to arrive next.
As a Secret Service agent patrolled the area, he spotted Routh’s partially obscured face in the brush along the fence line.
When the agent saw that Routh’s rifle was aimed at him, he drew his weapon and fired at Routh before taking cover behind a tree to reload. By the time the agent returned to his position, Routh had fled.
The rifle Routh allegedly used had an extended magazine capable of holding additional rounds and was loaded with 11 bullets, with one in the chamber ready to fire, according to prosecutors.
