Would-be Trump assassin Ryan Wesley Routh allegedly wrote a chilling letter about his plan to take out the former president, a new filing released by federal prosecutors shows.
A witness contacted investigators on Sept. 18 informing them that Routh dropped off a box at his home “several months” before the Sept. 15 incident when Secret Service opened fire on Routh, who had been waiting in the shrubbery with a rifle for Trump, who was playing golf at his club in West Palm Beach. It was after this that the witness opened the box to find “ammunition, a metal pipe, miscellaneous building materials, tools, four phones, and various letters," according to the filing.
One of the letters, allegedly written by Routh, was addressed to “The World” and said, in part, “This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I failed you. I tried my best and gave it all the gumption I could muster. It is up to you now to finish the job; and I will offer $150,000 to whomever can complete the job.”
A photo of the first page of the letter was included in the filing, which also shows Routh criticizing Trump for being “unfit” to serve as president.
The filing claims Routh also wrote, Trump “ended relations with Iran like a child and now the Middle East has unraveled."
According to FBI analysis, Routh traveled from Greensboro, North Carolina, to West Palm Beach, Florida, on Aug. 14, 2024. On multiple days between Aug. 18-Sept. 15, “Routh’s cell phone accessed cell towers located near Trump International and the former President’s residence at Mar-a-Lago.”
Routh, 58, is set to appear in court on Monday for a detention hearing.
Many are wondering why the DOJ released the letter.
They didn't release the Covenant shooter manifesto because they were allegedly afraid it would inspire more shootings. And yet within a week they release a letter from Trump's would-be assassin where he openly encourages more shootings and offers to pay for them. https://t.co/CXxlyHsjlN
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) September 23, 2024
The DOJ released a letter written by Ryan Wesley Routh offering $150,000 to anyone who could 'finish the job' on President Trump.
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) September 23, 2024
The DOJ, which is trying to put Trump in prison, is now offering a bounty on Trump’s head by releasing this.
Why else would they release this? pic.twitter.com/r5u3RFBrIC