The 58-year-old suspect, Ryan W Routh, has been charged with two gun-related crimes after being caught with a rifle near Donald Trump’s Florida golf course. Phone records indicate he may have been waiting for nearly 12 hours with a loaded rifle, but never had Trump in his line of sight. The incident, characterized as an assassination attempt by the FBI, has raised concerns about political violence in the US.
This marks the second assassination attempt on Trump in two months, prompting questions about how the suspect knew of Trump’s whereabouts. Following the incident, Trump is set to unveil a cryptocurrency business and resume his presidential campaign. The Secret Service, criticized for their response to the previous attempt, has ramped up security for Trump.
Routh has prior felony convictions and his social media posts are being scrutinized for clues about his motives. He has expressed support for Ukraine and engaged in foreign fighter recruitment efforts there. Ukrainian officials have denied any connection to Routh.
Trump thanked law enforcement for their protection and accused President Biden and Vice President Harris of inciting the incident through inflammatory language, although no evidence has been presented to support this claim. Both Biden and Harris condemned political violence and expressed concern over the attempt on Trump’s life.
As the investigation continues, authorities are working to determine how the suspect was able to get so close to Trump and what his motivations were for wanting to kill the former president. Routh remains in custody on illegal firearm possession charges as the FBI delves into his background and online activity.
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