Ryan Routh, a 58-year-old man with a criminal history and fluctuating political views, has been arrested for allegedly attempting to assassinate Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
The incident occurred as Trump was golfing in West Palm Beach, Florida, where Routh was found with an AK-47-style rifle.
This assassination attempt has further intensified the already high tensions surrounding the upcoming US Presidential election. Routh's background reveals a complex and contradictory persona. He once authored a self-published book in 2023 titled "Ukraine’s Unwinnable War," in which he urged Iran to assassinate Trump. “You are free to assassinate Trump,” Routh wrote, describing the former president as a “fool” and “buffoon” for his actions during the January 6, 2021, Capitol riots and his decision to exit the Iran nuclear deal.
Interestingly, Routh's political journey has been anything but straightforward. He initially supported Trump, even voting for him, but his views soured over time. In a tweet from June 2020, following the police killing of George Floyd, Routh suggested that Trump could win reelection by prosecuting police misconduct.
However, his recent posts have shown support for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the current Democratic presidential nominee. “DEMOCRACY is on the ballot and we cannot lose,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter) in April in support of Biden.
Routh's online activity paints a picture of a man with shifting political allegiances. His over 500 posts on X showed support for a range of politicians, including Bernie Sanders, Tulsi Gabbard, Nikki Haley, and Trump.
Voter records indicate that he registered as an unaffiliated voter in North Carolina in 2012 and most recently voted in person during the state’s Democratic primary in March. Additionally, federal campaign finance records show that Routh made 19 small donations totaling $140 to ActBlue, a political action committee supporting Democratic candidates, since 2019.
The attack has been widely condemned, including by President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. This development adds another layer of tension to the already fraught atmosphere leading up to the US Presidential election.
Routh's arrest and the subsequent revelations about his past and political views have left many questioning how someone with such a volatile history could come so close to executing an assassination attempt. As the investigation continues, the public remains on edge, awaiting further details.
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