Allies of former President Donald Trump reacted strongly following the second attempt on his life in as many months at his international golf course near Palm Beach, Fla., Sunday afternoon.
The suspect has been identified as Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, whose place of residence is listed as Hawaii. When he was arrested, authorities found an AK-47-style rifle with a scope, a GoPro camera, and a backpack, according to various reports.
Routh, a North Carolina native, has a history of arrests for offenses including simple drug possession, driving without a license, expired inspection, and operating a vehicle without insurance. The Greensboro News & Record reported in 2002 that Routh was arrested after barricading himself in his roofing company’s office during a three-hour standoff. This incident followed a traffic stop where he had put his hand on a gun before fleeing, Fox News reported.
Records indicate that Routh relocated to Hawaii in 2017. There, he started a new construction company focused on building simple housing structures for homeless individuals, as noted on a LinkedIn profile that appears to belong to him.
“This does not appear to be some random guy with an AK-47 walking outside Trump’s club,” an official said after the incident Sunday afternoon.
Fox News host Sean Hannity, a close friend of the former president, reported on Sunday that he had spoken with Trump and his golfing companion, real estate magnate Steve Witkoff, about the incident. According to Hannity, both Trump and Witkoff described hearing a series of “pop, pop, pop, pop” sounds while they were on the fifth hole of the golf course.
“Within seconds, the Secret Service pounced on the president [and] covered him,” Hannity said on Fox News.
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Donald Trump Jr. also responded on social media following the incident.
“Again folks! SHOTS FIRED at Trump Golf Course in West Palm Beach, Florida. An AK-47 was discovered in the bushes, per local law enforcement. The Trump campaign has released a statement confirming former President Trump is safe. A suspect has reportedly been apprehended,” he wrote on X.
Another Trump son, Eric Trump, added: “Serious change is needed…”
Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, Trump’s running mate, posted on X, “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.”
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican and a close Trump ally, also posted on X, “President Trump is safe and sound after ANOTHER ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT!!! Thank God!!! 🙏 They are trying to kill him!!! They will do anything to stop him from winning.”
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