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By Monica Sager, Alex Backus, Daniel Orton, and Eileen Holliday
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A suspect who is in custody after an apparent assassination attempt on Sunday against former President Donald Trump at his golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida now faces two gun charges.
The suspect, identified as Ryan Routh, aged 58, appears to have been motivated by frustration with U.S. policy on the war in Ukraine. Routh faces charges of possessing a firearm despite being a convicted felon and possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number. He appeared briefly in federal court in West Palm Beach. Additional and more serious charges are possible as the investigation continues and prosecutors seek an indictment.
Shots were fired at Trump National Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sunday where Trump, the 2024 GOP presidential nominee, was golfing. Bodycam video was released today showing the moments leading to Routh's capture. The FBI and Secret Service held a press conference this evening and provide new details about the investigation.
The former president, who was uninjured, returned to his home at the Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach after the incident. It is the second assassination attempt on Trump in roughly two months. The first was at a rally in Pennsylvania.
The proximity of the gunman in this latest incident - between 300 to 500 yards from Trump - has alarmed security experts and campaign officials alike.
Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump's Democratic opponent in the upcoming presidential election, said in a post on X (formerly Twitter), "I am glad he is safe. Violence has no place in America."
Check out Newsweek's live blog for today updates. We'll be back tomorrow with more live coverage.
Sep 16, 2024 at 05:00 PM EDT
Candidates head back on the campaign trail tomorrow
Sen. JD Vance will deliver remarks tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. in Sparta, Michigan. He is set to talk about "illegal immigrants" and the border, according to the campaign. Four hours later, at 5:30 p.m., Vance will hold a rally in Eu Claire, Wisconsin.
Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff will deliver remarks at a campaign reception in Washington D.C.
Gov. Tim Walz is set to deliver brief remarks at a political event in Macon Georgia at 10 a.m. He will then arrive at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport at 12:45 p.m. and head to North Carolina. He will arrive in Asheville and deliver remarks at a rally at 4:30 p.m.
Tomorrow was also supposed to be the date for a Fox News proposed presidential debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.
--Monica Sager
Sep 16, 2024 at 05:00 PM EDT
Ryan Routh described as ‘example of professionalism, hyper vigilance, wolf-like supersonic x-ray vision’
Pat Brosnan, the chairman of Brosnan Risk Consultants, said he knows precisely what Ryan Routh's weapon looks like because he owns one himself.
"We had an extraordinary example of professionalism, hyper vigilance, wolf-like supersonic x-ray vision and skill," Brosnan said on Fox. "(They) were able to identify the mussel of a black weapon...poking through a black fence in dark underground."
Brosnan, however, added that within 63 days two armed gunmen have gotten within striking distance of former President Donald Trump.
"I cannot for the life of me understand or find any precedence where on two separate occasions within 63 days, gun men with rifles with scopes have gotten extremely close unimpeded range of field from the former President with loaded rifles. It's absolutely horrifying. It really is, and shocking."
--Monica Sager
Sep 16, 2024 at 04:52 PM EDT
Eric Trump says his dad ‘was in OK spirits’ after assassination attempt
Megyn Kelly hosted Eric Trump on The Megyn Kelly Show to discuss the latest assassination attempt against his father, former President Donald Trump.
Eric Trump shared he was among the first to learn about the incident, receiving the news shortly after it happened and providing an update on how the former president is doing.
"He's [Trump] doing well," Eric Trump said. "He's incredibly strong, he's a warrior. I spoke to him after it happened and he was in OK spirits, but I'm not. I'm sick and tired of seeing people trying to take his life."
Eric Trump said yesterday's outcome was a success for the Secret Service, noting that they performed better than they had during the first assassination attempt on his father in Butler, Pennsylvania.
"We can't allow people with AR15's and AK47's within 300 yards of the president," Eric Trump said. "It has to stop, we have to do a better job. There's only so many times you can get lucky. It's not funny anymore."
--Courtney McGinley
Sep 16, 2024 at 04:30 PM EDT
Secret Service: ‘We cannot have failures’
Ronald Rowe Jr., acting director of Secret Service, talked about this off-the-record movement by Donald Trump.
"What was critical to this was the quick reaction, the response of the Secret Service agents," Rowe said. "I could not be more proud of them and the way they executed."
Rowe has spoken to Trump and reassured him he has the highest level of security from the Secret Service.
"The secret services protected methodologies work and they are sound and we saw that yesterday," Rowe said. "We don't have an alternative. Success - we have to have it every day. We cannot have failures and in order to do that we have to have some hard conversations with Congress."
--Monica Sager
Sep 16, 2024 at 04:19 PM EDT
FBI: ‘We view this as very serious’
Jeffrey Veltri, special agent in charge of the FBI Miami field office, takes the podium.
"We are investigating this matter as an apparent assassination attempt of President Trump," Veltri said. "We view this as very serious."
Seven civilian witnesses have been interviewed. Friends, family and former colleagues have been interviewed as well.
"That is just the beginning."
FBI field offices in North Carolina and Hawaii have been contacted for assistance in the investigation.
--Monica Sager
Sep 16, 2024 at 04:13 PM EDT
Officials release new details about Trump assassination investigation
Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said the road is still blocked off and will be for the rest of the day and a majority of tomorrow as well. The security level in Mar-a-Lago is the highest that it can possibly be.
--Monica Sager
Sep 16, 2024 at 03:34 PM EDT
More details emerge about Ryan Routh’s life in Hawaii
Since 2018, Ryan Routh has been listed on LinkedIn as the owner of Camp Box Honolulu.
The goal is to aid in the homelessness crisis by building simple, affordable structures. They focus on constructing basic units that meet minimal permitting requirements, using straightforward methods to keep costs low and construction fast.
"Everyone should be able to have their own private spot on the island and know they are worthy, worthwhile and belong as a part of the community," the Camp Box website reads. "Using standard economical, fast and efficient construction techniques and materials we can produce solutions to our own problems right here on the island. We do not need impractical imported solutions."
"We cannot sit idle, as some of our friends and neighbors around us struggle, when we ourselves are smart enough to create our own solutions to our own problems."
--Courtney McGinley
Sep 16, 2024 at 03:32 PM EDT
WATCH LIVE: FBI, Secret Service and sheriff to hold press conference
Sep 16, 2024 at 03:16 PM EDT
WATCH LIVE TONIGHT: Trump speaks from Mar-A-Lago
Sep 16, 2024 at 03:04 PM EDT
Ryan Routh’s Legal History: Convictions, Stolen Goods, and Weapon Possession
Ryan Routh spent most of his life in Greensboro, North Carolina, where his legal troubles included a 2002 felony conviction for allegedly possessing a fully automatic machine gun.
According to the Greensboro News & Record, this arrest occurred after Routh fled a traffic stop and barricaded himself with the weapon at a roofing business for three hours.
In 2010, Routh faced another felony conviction for possession of stolen goods, along with several misdemeanors such as carrying a concealed weapon, hit-and-run, speeding, and driving with a revoked license. Court records indicate that detectives found stolen building supplies and other items at his roofing business warehouse, where he was residing. The stolen goods were reportedly sold to fund his crack cocaine addiction, according to a police affidavit used to obtain a search warrant.
...
In both felony cases, Routh received either probation or a suspended sentence, avoiding prison time. It remains unclear how Routh acquired the weapon, as most states prohibit felons from purchasing or possessing firearms.
--Courtney McGinley
Sep 16, 2024 at 02:47 PM EDT
Donald Trump’s Attempted Assassin Stalked Golf Course for 12 Hours: Report
The suspect in the apparent assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump on Sunday camped outside the Florida golf course with food and a rifle for nearly 12 hours, according to court records.
Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, was detained Sunday after he allegedly fired a rifle from the bushes surrounding the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach. Routh was later charged with possession of a firearm while a former felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
More details of Sunday's shooting have emerged as Routh appeared in federal court in Florida for his first appearance on Monday. Court records revealed that Routh camped outside for nearly 12 hours before a Secret Service agent thwarted the potential attack and opened fire.
According to an FBI affidavit that cites cellphone data, there was a level of planning involved as Routh is believed to have been positioned at the tree line of the golf course from about 1:59 a.m. to 1:31 p.m. Sunday. A digital camera, a loaded AK-47 rifle with scope, and a plastic bag containing food were recovered from the area where Routh had been standing.
Read more from Natalie Venegas
Sep 16, 2024 at 02:38 PM EDT
Ryan Wesley Routh’s ‘Hostile and Manipulative’ Ukraine Messages Revealed
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Ryan Wesley Routh, charged with gun offenses following a second assassination attempt on Donald Trump, sent Ukraine's International Legion a number of "hostile" and manipulative" messages over a two-year period, a former volunteer for the organization told Newsweek.
Routh, 58, was arrested on Sunday in connection with the attempt to shoot the former president, 78, at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Trump survived "what appears to be an assassination attempt" the FBI said. The former president was "safe following gunshots in his vicinity" at his golf club, the Trump campaign said.
In a federal court appearance Monday morning, Routh was charged with two gun crimes—possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Routh is due to appear in court again on September 23, for a bond hearing. He could also face further charges.
The former construction worker from Greensboro, North Carolina, has presented himself since 2022 as a recruiter for the International Legion Defense of Ukraine, a unit of Ukraine's Ground Forces.
The claim was dismissed on Monday by the organization itself, while Evelyn Aschenbrenner, a U.S. citizen from Detroit, Michigan, who worked with the team for two years beginning in March 2022—first in administration, and then as a recruiter—branded Routh as "delusional" and a "liar" over his claims.
In a phone interview with Newsweek from Kyiv, Aschenbrenner, who left the International Legion in mid-June, shared a slew of messages they received from Routh between March 2022 and June this year via messaging apps Signal and WhatsApp.
Routh sent details of potential recruits to Aschenbrenner, including a list of some 6,000 Afghani citizens. He would then become "hostile" and "manipulative" when told to refrain from doing so, Aschenbrenner.
An encounter with Routh on August 24, 2022, Ukraine's independence day, is when Aschenbrenner "first really realized [Routh] was not firing with all pistons up there."
"There was an increased security alert [due to] strikes from Russia, and because of that, there was curfew. I think it was 6 p.m. or 7 p.m. in Kharkiv, and [he wanted] to get a foreign person over the border to join Legion. And I'm like, not today, dude," Aschenbrenner said.
Read more from Isabel van Brugen
Sep 16, 2024 at 02:13 PM EDT
Bodycam video shows dramatic moment Ryan Wesley Routh is captured along side of road
Body camera footage from the Martin County Police Department shows an officer shouting for the driver to take "two steps to your right." Multiple officers stand behind a Ford truck, as the Ryan Routh holds his shirt over his head and walks backward. The officers are wearing bullet proof vests and some are holding guns.
They grab Routh's arms and force him toward a car. Routh does not appear to resist.
The police department does not have dashcam footage.
--Monica Sager
Sep 16, 2024 at 01:18 PM EDT
WATCH: Moment that Ryan Wesley Routh is Captured
Sep 16, 2024 at 12:56 PM EDT
Sketch shows Ryan Wesley Routh in court
A sketch shows 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh standing before a judge during his initial court appearance Monday at a federal court in West Palm Beach.
Sep 16, 2024 at 12:51 PM EDT
Watch: DeSantis explains why the state is conducting its own investigation
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis explained the state is conducting its own investigation into the apparent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump to ensure credibility.
"I understand that the feds are involved but we do believe that there were multiple violations of state law," DeSantis said during a Monday morning press conference.
"We also believe that there is a need to make sure that the truth about all this comes out in a way that is credible," he continued. "I look at the federal government, with all due respect to them, those same agencies that are prosecuting Trump in that jurisdiction are now going to be investigating this... I just think that that may not be the best thing for this country."
The governor said he hasn't spoken with Trump yet.
Sep 16, 2024 at 12:41 PM EDT
Trump blames ‘communist left rhetoric’ saying ‘it will only get worse’
Former President Donald Trump called out the "rhetoric" and "lies" that Vice President Kamala Harris shared during the "rigged and highly paritisan ABC Debate" as well as by President Joe Biden in the "ridiculous lawsuits" that have lead to a "whole new level of hatred, abuse and distrust."
"Because of this Communist Left Rhetoric, the bullets are flying, and it will only get worse!" Trump posted in part on Truth Social Monday. "THE WORLD IS LAUGHING AT US AS FOOLS, THEY ARE STEALING OUR JOBS AND OUR WEALTH. WE CANNOT LET THEM LAUGH ANY LONGER. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"
Trump also posted on X, thanking the Secret Service and law enforcement for keeping him safe.
"I would like to thank everyone for your concern and well wishes - It was certainly an interesting day!" Trump posted in part on X.
Sep 16, 2024 at 12:38 PM EDT
Investigation update later this afternoon
We expect to learn new details surrounding the investigation into Sunday's second attempted assassination against former President Donald Trump later this afternoon.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office will host officials with the Secret Service and FBI for an update Monday at 4 p.m. ET, The Associated Press reports.
Sep 16, 2024 at 12:29 PM EDT
Don Jr: No one should have to have these conversations
Donald Trump Jr. said it's getting "really old" having conversations with his five young children about "radical leftist trying to kill their grandfather."
"No person should ever have to do this in America or anywhere else and yet I had to have that conversation five times again yesterday," the Republican nominee's son wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Sep 16, 2024 at 12:24 PM EDT
Former agent: ‘Difficult’ to set perimeters around golf course like Trump’s
Bill Gage, a former Secret Service Agent told Fox News that the model used for all presidents when golfing has been used since "the Eisenhower days."
Agents are placed a few holes ahead and behind of the official, while also securing the club house.
Gage, who worked as an agent while former President Barack Obama was golfing, said former President Donald Trump's golf club is a bit different. People pay thousands to join to "be close to the former president, take pictures with him."
"It's a semi-public golf course," Gage said, adding that people won't be turned away for their tee times like they might when Obama would choose to play at a military golf course. "This course also borders public areas, major highways and thorough fares. It's very difficult for the Secret Service to set up perimeters in that kind of environment."
Sep 16, 2024 at 12:18 PM EDT
Photos: The scene outside of court
A van believed to be carrying Ryan Wesley Routh, the suspect in Sunday's apparent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, is seen leaving Florida's Paul G. Rogers Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse.
Members of the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Protective Service police are among those providing security as Routh made his first court appearance Monday morning.
Sep 16, 2024 at 12:07 PM EDT
Charlie Kirk questions assassin’s motives, connections on Trump attack
Charlie Kirk addressed the second assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump on Monday's The Charlie Kirk Show, highlighting two critical questions.
The would-be assassin, Ryan Wesley Routh, is deeply engaged in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and strongly supports Ukraine. He is also known to be a Democrat donor with over 19 transactions to known Democrats since 2019.
One crucial question is how Routh knew the former president's golf location, as this information is not publicly available. Kirk wants to determine whether it was a fortunate guess or if he had insider assistance.
The other question is Kirk poses: "What, if any, connection did Ryan Wesley Routh have with U.S. intelligence services, the Department of Defense, the Central Intelligence Agency, NATO, or the Pentagon, given that his entire life's work focused on supporting Ukraine and trying to take out Vladimir Putin?"
Kirk also said Routh tweeted he would not stop until Putin is dead. Given Trump's stance on the war, was Routh encouraged by that?
"Donald Trump's stated position is to stop the money flow and stop the grift from Ukraine and try to broker peace," Kirk said.
Sep 16, 2024 at 12:03 PM EDT
Sheriff credits witness, suspect ‘would have gotten away’
Martin County Sheriff Will Snyder said in a press conference that the witness to the attempted assassination on former President Donald Trump "deserves a lot of credit."
"He would have gotten away, but a civilian saw him," Snyder said. "They'd still be looking for him now. They'd first be doing fingerprints, all the things that we do and then we would have had to find him."
Sep 16, 2024 at 12:00 PM EDT
Sheriff: Suspect may have thought he ‘got away with it’
Martin County Sheriff Will Snyder said it took about two miles for his officers to surround the vehicle of Ryan Wesley Routh and force him to a stop, but that Routh was "smart" and "was just driving with the flow of traffic."
"I think he may have thought he got away with it," Snyder said during a Monday morning press conference. "Of course he wouldn't have known there was a witness who really did the right thing, took a picture of him, took a picture of the tag. He was just going to drive himself back to wherever he came from."
Snyder thanked his officers who put themselves "in harm's way" and apprehended Routh.
"It was probably the highest profile stop this sheriff's office has ever made," the sheriff said. "We were stopping the man who was involved in an assassination attempt on the highest profile target on the planet."
Sep 16, 2024 at 11:51 AM EDT
Trump blames Biden-Harris ‘rhetoric’ for assassination attempt
Former President Donald Trump said his would-be assassin, Ryan Wesley Routh, acted on "rhetoric" from President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Trump spoke with Fox News Digital Monday morning, just one day after he was rushed off of the golf course at Trump International in West Palm Beach, Florida, after Secret Service found a gunman in the bushes.
"He [the gunman] believed the rhetoric of Biden and Harris, and he acted on it," Trump said to Fox.
"Their rhetoric is causing me to be shot at, when I am the one who is going to save the country, and they are the ones that are destroying the country — both from the inside and out."
Alveda King, the niece of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., said the American people have to "pray and stop the fighting."
King told Fox that three of her family members have been assassinated and her family survived an assassination attempt when their home was bombed.
"There is terror, there is fear," King said. "The blame game will not work. However, I heard President Trump say in a meeting... that we need to make America pray again. We don't worship government. We worship God."
Sep 16, 2024 at 11:38 AM EDT
New details emerge about Ryan Wesley Routh during court appearance
The man accused of attempting to assassinate former president Donald Trump at his golf club on Sunday appeared in federal court in Florida for his arraignment on Monday.
Ryan Wesley Routh arrived shackled in a prison uniform at the Paul G. Rogers Federal Courthouse in West Palm Beach this morning, where he appeared before a magistrate judge. A detention hearing is scheduled for Monday.
The 58-year-old has previously been arrested eight times, mainly for minor offenses.
Read more from Newsweek's Jenna Sundel.
Sep 16, 2024 at 11:07 AM EDT
Ryan Wesley Routh faces two charges
Ryan Wesley Routh faces charges of possessing a firearm despite being a convicted felon and possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
He appeared briefly in federal court in West Palm Beach.
Additional and more serious charges are possible as the investigation continues and prosecutors seek an indictment.
--The Associated Press
Sep 16, 2024 at 10:46 AM EDT
Ryan Wesley Routh arrives shackled to federal court
Ryan Wesley Routh arrives shackled to the Paul G. Rogers Federal Courthouse in West Palm Beach, Florida this morning, according to CNN.
Sep 16, 2024 at 10:19 AM EDT
Exclusive: Ryan Wesley Routh ‘Delusional and a Liar’—Ukraine Volunteer
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A former volunteer for Ukraine's International Legion has branded Ryan Wesley Routh, the suspect in a second assassination attempt on Donald Trump, as "delusional" and a "liar" over his claims that he recruited for the Ukrainian organization.
Routh, 58, is in custody after an attempt was made on the life of Trump, 78, at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, where shots were fired on Sunday.
Trump survived "what appears to be an assassination attempt" the FBI said. The former president was "safe following gunshots in his vicinity" at his golf club, the Trump campaign said.
The suspected gunman claimed in a June 2022 interview with Newsweek Romania that he recruited volunteers for the International Legion Defense of Ukraine, a unit of Ukraine's Ground Forces.
Read more from Isabel van Brugen
Sep 16, 2024 at 10:07 AM EDT
Ryan Wesley Routh in court
Ryan Wesley Routh, the suspect in the second Trump assassination attempt, is in court in Florida, according to CNN.
Sep 16, 2024 at 09:58 AM EDT
WATCH: Ryan Wesley Routh’s interview with Newsweek Romania
In a June 2022 interview with Newsweek Romania, Routh spoke about his efforts to recruit volunteers for the International Legion Defense of Ukraine, a unit of Ukraine's Ground Forces.
"The question as far as why I'm here... to me, a lot of the other conflicts are grey, but this conflict is definitely black and white," Routh said. "This is about good versus evil. This is a storybook, you know, any movie we've ever watched, this is definitely evil against good."
Sep 16, 2024 at 09:16 AM EDT
Revealed: Ryan Wesley Routh’s Last Message To Friend
A former friend of the suspect in the attempted assassination of Donald Trump has revealed the last message he received from him.
Remus Cernea, a Newsweek journalist based in Romania, said he knew Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, from their time spent in Ukraine and once considered him a friend.
Cernea described a "child like" misfit who he said rarely spoke about U.S. politics indicated he would "die for Ukraine".
Read more from Hugh Cameron
Sep 16, 2024 at 08:56 AM EDT
Ex-FBI Agent Says ‘Nearly Impossible’ To Protect Officials, School Children
Gun violence has made it "nearly impossible" to protect school children and political candidates, a former FBI assistant director has said.
"We seem to have reached a critical decision point in our society. We can no longer guarantee the safety of either the most vulnerable in our country—our school children, or the most highly protected officials. This is particularly true in open-air environments," Frank Figliuzzi told Newsweek.
Read more from Sean O'Driscoll
Sep 16, 2024 at 08:38 AM EDT
UK lawmaker Nigel Farage, a stalwart Trump supporter, calls the incident ‘truly appalling’
Sep 16, 2024 at 08:29 AM EDT
Donald Trump Assassination Attempt: Four Major Unanswered Questions
There are several unanswered questions after the assassination attempt against Donald Trump on Sunday—the second time in two months that there has been an attempt on the former president's life.
It remains unclear how the suspect in Sunday's incident knew that Trump would be at his Florida club or how he got hold of the AK-47 style rifle he intended to use. Law enforcement has not provided any details about a possible motive, and the incident has reignited debate about the level of protection given to Trump.
Read more from Khaleda Rahman
Sep 16, 2024 at 08:16 AM EDT
Republican House Whip praises “very healthy discussion” from both parties in wake of assassination attempt
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer has praised both sides of the political aisle for their response to the second assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.
The Minnesota Republican said on CNN this morning that the discussions he had had with colleagues in the wake of the incident were "very healthy," but that there was also more to be done in turning down the rhetoric from both sides.
Emmer said: "There is a very healthy discussion coming from both sides of the aisle. Both Republicans and Democrats, and frankly all Americans are very concerned that this is happening to President Trump.
"The sad part is we're not going to be talking about the assassination attempt, we're going to be talking about 'which one?'. This should not be happening. We've got to do something, all Americans have to do something to curb this type of violence."
--Theo Burman
Sep 16, 2024 at 08:10 AM EDT
What we know so far about the second ‘attempted assassination’ of Donald Trump
Here's an updated roundup of what we know about the apparent attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump that took place on Sunday.
- The suspect, 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh, was spotted near the property line of Trump's West Palm Beach golf club shortly before 2 p.m. at Trump International Golf Club at West Palm Beach.
- Agents opened fire at the suspected gunman, who fled the scene before later being apprehended. The suspect didn't fire at Trump, and the former president was not harmed during the incident.
- An AK-47-style rifle, a GoPro camera, and a backpack were found hidden in the bushes near where the suspect was spotted.
- The FBI "is investigating what appears to be an attempted assassination of former President Trump," the agency told Newsweek.
- The incident has raised questions about the adequacy of protection for high-profile political figures who are not currently in office.
- "I AM SAFE AND WELL! Nothing will slow me down," Trump wrote in an email to supporters. "I will NEVER SURRENDER! I will always love you for supporting me. Unity. Peace. Make America Great Again."
- "I have been briefed on reports of gunshots fired near former President Trump and his property in Florida, and I am glad he is safe. Violence has no place in America," Vice President Kamala Harris wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
- President Joe Biden said on X that he was "relieved" that Trump was unharmed and also said, "I have directed my team to continue to ensure that Secret Service has every resource, capability and protective measure necessary to ensure the former President's continued safety."
- Routh has claimed to have fought in Ukraine as it continues to hold off Russia's invasion and has also reportedly been previously arrested eight times, mostly for minor offenses.
--Daniel Orton
Sep 16, 2024 at 07:31 AM EDT
Mike Johnson responds to attempted assassination: ‘God spared Trump’s life twice’
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson said that Donald Trump was in "good spirits" shortly after the shooting, and that there was a lack of manpower in his security at the golf course.
Johnson, who was on his way to visit the former president when the shooting occurred, met with Trump at Mar-A-Lago in the hours after the would-be assassin was taking into custody.
Speaking on Fox & Friends, Johnson said: "Someone has tried to take his life twice now. No one can deny God spared Trump's life twice."
A gunman opened fire at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania on July 13, in which the former president was shot in the ear and a rally attendee died. Two others were critically injured.
"These things aren't accidents. It's not luck," Johnson told Fox & Friends. "I believe it's Providence and we talked about that. It's a remarkable thing. It would move any man's heart. I think it's moved the presidents and uh it's just something he's processing right now.
"He was in very good spirits as you might expect. That's who he is. He's so resilient and we were really grateful to see him."
--Theo Burman
Sep 16, 2024 at 07:16 AM EDT
Former FBI agent raises questions over access to Trump’s schedule
A former FBI agent raised questions about how the suspect Ryan Wesley Routh knew where former President Donald Trump was going to be, as the golf trip was reportedly a last-minute change to the schedule.
Speaking on Fox News Monday morning, Nicole Parker highlighted the fact that the shooter appeared to know Trump's specific movements on the day of the assassination attempt, and pointed out several ways the FBI could trace his movements leading up to the shooting.
Parker said: "How did this individual have access to President Trump's schedule? From what I understand, this golf outing was a last-minute addition. Trump's pattern of life is extremely sporadic. He wouldn't have just been able to camp out at a golf course for days on end to figure out when he was going to be there. How did he know he was going to be there?
"I think I would want to understand the suspect's travel history. How many times has he been to Florida? How many times had he scouted out that golf course? How many times was he in close proximity to President Trump? Where was he staying on this trip?"
--Theo Burman
Sep 16, 2024 at 06:58 AM EDT
Ryan Wesley Routh’s Son Says His Father Hates Donald Trump
The son of the man in custody after an apparent assassination attempt on Donald Trump on Sunday has reportedly said his father hates the former president.
Routh's son Oran Routh told DailyMail.com shortly after Sunday's shooting that his father hates Trump as "every reasonable person does."
He said his father is "not a violent person" and that he was not aware of him owning a gun. Oran Routh also said he could not believe his father would target the former president.
Read more from Khaleda Rahman
Sep 16, 2024 at 06:46 AM EDT
Donald Trump’s Family, MAGA Allies React After Assassination Attempt
Former President Donald Trump's family and allies reacted on social media after the apparent assassination attempt of the Republican nominee near Trump National Golf Club on Sunday.
"Within seconds, the Secret Service pounced on the president [and] covered him," --Sean Hannity, Fox News host
"Again folks!" --Donald Trump Jr., referring to the July 13 assassination attempt on his father
"Serious change is needed..." --Eric Trump, the former president's second oldest son
"I'm glad President Trump is safe. I spoke to him before the news was public and he was, amazingly, in good spirits. Still much we don't know, but I'll be hugging my kids extra tight tonight and saying a prayer of gratitude." --Sen. JD Vance, Trump's running mate
Read more from Gabe Whisnant
Sep 16, 2024 at 06:30 AM EDT
Former Secret Service agent says agency could start “shoulder-to-shoulder” defense for Trump
A former Secret Service agent said on CNN Monday morning that Trump's security detail could start a "shoulder-to-shoulder" approach if deemed necessary after a second assassination attempt on the former president.
Cheryl Tyler, a former special agent working for the Secret Service, said that the agency faced issues with staffing when it comes to controlling an area as large as a golf course, and that it was reliant on local law enforcement to provide extra vehicles and staff.
Tyler said: "The fact that the entire golf course was not secured by personnel or cars or fencing- the challenges are there. If you want shoulder-to-shoulder people, that's usually unrealistic, but if that's what they think is appropriate, then that may happen.
"The challenge is that they don't have enough of the correct type of staffing available to them. Secondly, to get that kind of equipment, like vehicles and cars, you're going to have to rely on every source that you have available to you within that town, and that stays in the city."
--Theo Burman
Sep 16, 2024 at 06:21 AM EDT
Possibility Ryan Wesley Routh Had Informant ‘Scary’: Ex-FBI Leader
The man accused of trying to assassinate Donald Trump may have had inside information on his movements, a former FBI assistant director said.
Chris Swecker told Newsweek that law enforcement will have to establish how Ryan Wesley Routh appeared to know the exact details of when Trump was playing golf at a Florida resort.
Read more from Sean O'Driscoll
Sep 16, 2024 at 06:18 AM EDT
President Joe Biden says he has been briefed on ‘possible assassination attempt’
Sep 16, 2024 at 06:16 AM EDT
Zelensky sends good wishes to Trump
Sep 16, 2024 at 06:14 AM EDT
Ryan Wesley Routh, Would-be Trump Assassin, Went to Ukraine, Supports War
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CNN chief law enforcement and intelligence analyst John Miller reported Sunday afternoon that Routh's social media accounts have focused on his "self-proclaimed involvement" in the war in Ukraine, including his supposed effort to recruit soldiers to fight in the conflict. Routh also claimed to have fought in Ukraine as it continues to hold off Russia's invasion.
Routh appears to have previously spoken with The New York Times about his effort to recruit Afghan soldiers who fled the Taliban to fight in Ukraine. At the time of the report, which was published on March 25, 2023, Routh told the Times that he had spent several months in Ukraine in 2022.
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