US media identifies suspect in Trump assassination attempt

US media outlets have named Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, as the suspected would-be assassin of former President Donald Trump.

Routh, who was interviewed by AFP in Kyiv in 2022 for his support of Ukraine’s war effort, was apprehended after a dramatic incident near Trump’s Florida golf course on Sunday.

According to reports, Routh was arrested following an exchange of gunfire with US Secret Service agents. He had been carrying an AK-47-style rifle and emerged from shrubbery near the golf course before fleeing in a black car. Authorities later tracked him down.

CNN and CBS revealed that Routh, a self-employed affordable housing builder from Hawaii, had a long history of arrests and was known for his political commentary, including criticism of Trump. Routh had also voiced strong support for Ukraine’s fight against Russian aggression.

A selfie shows Ryan W. Routh, a Trump assassination attempt suspect identified by US media

In a March 2022 X post, Routh expressed his willingness to volunteer in Ukraine, stating, “I am willing to fly to Krakow and go to the border of Ukraine to volunteer and fight and die… Can I be the example? We must win.”

AFP interviewed him in Kyiv in April 2022, where he spoke passionately against Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The incident comes at a time when US support for Ukraine remains a significant political issue, with President Joe Biden’s future successor likely to either continue his policies or adopt a different stance on the conflict.