Suspect charged in second Trump assassination attempt lay in wait for 12 hours: report

A man accused of attempting to assassinate former US President Donald Trump at his Florida golf course was charged on Monday with two firearms offenses.

Ryan Routh, 58, allegedly spent nearly 12 hours hidden in the bushes, armed with a rifle, while Trump played golf nearby.

The incident, which unfolded on Sunday, raises serious concerns about the security measures in place for the Republican presidential candidate just weeks before the 2024 election.

Routh was spotted by Secret Service agents stationed at Trump’s West Palm Beach golf course when they noticed a rifle barrel emerging from the bushes a few hundred yards away from Trump, who was on the fairway of the fifth hole.

The agents opened fire but Routh fled the scene in a sports utility vehicle, leaving behind a loaded assault-style rifle equipped with a scope, a digital camera, and a plastic bag of food.

He was apprehended 40 minutes later while driving north on Interstate 95. The license plate on his vehicle had been reported stolen.

Court documents reveal that Routh had been at the golf course for nearly 12 hours before being discovered, with records indicating that his phone had been detected in the area around 2 am on Sunday.

He was on the “public side” of a fence that marks the boundary of the course, but investigators have yet to determine whether Routh was aware that Trump would be playing there that day, as the visit was not part of Trump’s public schedule.

The former president, who is seeking re-election in 2024, recounted the incident on a social media platform, describing how Secret Service agents acted quickly to move him to safety.

“All of a sudden we heard shots being fired in the air... Secret Service grabbed me, we got into the carts, and moved along pretty good,” Trump said, while commending the agents for their swift action.

Despite the close call, Trump expressed a need for increased security, stating, “We do need more people on my detail.”

Routh, who has a criminal history that includes a 2002 conviction in North Carolina for possessing an unregistered automatic weapon, appeared in federal court in West Palm Beach on Monday.

He was charged with possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Further charges may be filed as the investigation continues. Routh invoked his right to an attorney when authorities attempted to question him.

The incident has prompted renewed scrutiny of the US Secret Service, which is responsible for protecting former presidents and presidential candidates.

This marks the second time in two months that Trump’s life has been threatened, following a July 13 assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a gunman grazed Trump’s ear with a bullet at a rally.

The July attack led to the resignation of the then-Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle.

Ronald Rowe, the acting director who took over following Cheatle's departure, now faces additional pressure to ensure Trump’s safety in the lead-up to the election.

The Secret Service is already under intense criticism for allowing a gunman to get so close to Trump during Sunday’s incident. The agency has bolstered Trump’s security detail since the July attempt on his life, but questions remain as to how Routh was able to evade detection for nearly half a day.

President Joe Biden commented on the issue, stating that the Secret Service “needs more help” and expressing his relief that Trump is unharmed.

Biden also made a personal call to Trump, which both parties described as “cordial,” with Trump expressing his thanks for the gesture.

Trump, for his part, attributed the incident to what he described as inflammatory rhetoric from Democrats, including Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Without offering evidence, Trump claimed that such rhetoric was encouraging violence against him. In an interview with Fox News, he accused the Democratic Party of fostering an environment that led to the assassination attempts.

“Their rhetoric is causing me to be shot at when I am the one who is going to save the country,” Trump said.

Democrats, including Biden and Harris, have consistently warned that Trump poses a danger to American democracy, particularly citing his role in the January 6, 2021, assault on the US Capitol.

Routh’s social media activity reveals that he was a vocal supporter of Ukraine, a country Trump has been critical of, and had posted disparaging comments about the former president.

However, investigators have yet to establish a clear motive behind the alleged assassination attempt.

Routh reportedly traveled to Ukraine after Russia’s invasion in 2022 and attempted to recruit foreign fighters to join the conflict, though Ukrainian officials and the International Legion have denied any formal connection to him.

Despite the assassination attempt, Trump’s campaign schedule remains intact.

The former president, who is set to face off against Biden in the November 5 election, will continue with a series of events this week, including a cryptocurrency business launch at his Mar-a-Lago estate and rallies in Michigan and New York.

A close associate of Trump indicated that it would be difficult to keep him off the golf course, noting that it is his primary way to unwind amid the pressures of the campaign.

The latest incident has sparked concern among Trump’s allies, many of whom have expressed frustration over the security breaches.

Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville, a staunch Trump supporter, told Reuters, “He needs a full Secret Service contingent, just like he was president of the United States.

If not, we’re gonna have a disaster on our hands.”

Meanwhile, Trump, undeterred by the threats, appears determined to maintain his campaign momentum.