A Florida man accused of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump at his golf club allegedly sought to purchase a rocket-propelled grenade from a Ukrainian arms dealer.
Prosecutors allege Ryan Routh meticulously planned the attack and expressed clear intent to kill the president, citing his stance on Ukraine as a primary motive. According to a Justice Department filing in the Southern District of Florida, the 58-year-old contacted an individual he believed had access to military weaponry.
Routh exchanged messages through an encrypted app.“Send me an RPG or stinger and I will see what we can do… [Trump] is not good for Ukraine,” Routh wrote, per the court filing.In another message, he added, “I need equipment so that Trump cannot get elected.”
The communication included an image of Trump’s personal plane, which Routh claimed the former president “gets on and off daily.” Prosecutors allege the image, along with logistical discussions regarding acquiring the weapon, demonstrates his intent and preparation.
“Going to the local store for such an item is impossible – however you are at war so those items lost and destroyed daily – one missing would not be noticed,” Routh allegedly wrote, referencing the ongoing war in Ukraine.
While he never obtained the RPG, federal prosecutors contend the correspondence further supports their argument that he was actively seeking military-grade weapons to carry out an assassination.
In addition to the messages, investigators say Routh conducted extensive research into Trump’s public movements, campaign rally schedules, and security patterns. Using a burner phone, he allegedly gathered data on Trump’s campaign stops, escape routes, aircraft specifications, and forensic methods.
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According to the government’s filing, Routh arrived at Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida, before dawn on the day of the September 15 assassination attempt and established a sniper position.
Routh was shot at by the Secret Service shortly before Trump came onto a tee. The suspect is then said to have ditched his rifle and tried to escape He was captured shortly afterwards.
“Most, if not all, of this conduct is direct evidence of Routh’s intent to kill the president and of the substantial steps he took toward completing the offence charged in Count 1 before he was thwarted,” the filing reads.
Routh has pleaded not guilty to all charges and is currently being held without bail in a federal detention centre in Miami. His trial is scheduled to begin in September. If convicted, he could face life in prison.
Alongside the attempted assassination charge, Routh is also charged with assaulting a federal officer and three counts related to illegal firearms possession and use.
In one of his exchanges, Routh lamented about the failure of the July assassination attempt on Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Responding to a mention of the incident with, “I wish.” Authorities say the investigation remains ongoing, with prosecutors considering whether to pursue additional charges or investigate possible accomplices.
Federal officials have not commented publicly on the broader security implications or how close Routh came to executing his alleged plan.
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