Charges filed in apparent Trump assassination attempt

The suspect in the apparent assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump is facing two gun-related crimes.
The suspect, Ryan Wesley Routh, was arrested Sunday and appeared at a federal courthouse in West Palm Beach, Florida, Monday.
On Sunday, while Trump was golfing at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, a Secret Service agent, shot at a suspect with a rifle, which was “poking out of the tree line,” according to the criminal complaint, obtained by CNN.
President Joe Biden and Trump spoke on the phone Monday. The White House said the two shared a “cordial conversation” and Trump expressed gratitude for the call, as per The Hill. Trump issued a statement: “We had a very nice call. It was about Secret Service protection.”
Here’s everything you need to know about the suspect, and how congressional lawmakers — including the Utah delegation to the House of Representatives — are reacting to the latest developments.
Routh, the suspect, fled the scene in a black Nissan sports car but was apprehended and taken into custody the same day. In the area where a Secret Service agent aimed the shot, authorities found two bags containing a rifle with a scope, a camera and a bag of food.
Four Homeland Security Investigations agents were at the golf course, helping the Secret Service, on the day of the shooting, as NBC News reported. Officials said that number is less than the number of agents present in Butler, Penn., when a bullet grazed Trump’s ear during a rally in July.
The authorities confirmed Routh was the suspect by tracing his phone back to the tree line. The report reveals the shooter waited at the golf course for nearly 12 hours, starting from around 2 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.
Routh will remain in custody until Sept. 30, the day of his arraignment.
His social media posts indicate he attempted to recruit individuals to fight for Ukraine in its war with Russia. The posts also suggest he was a Trump supporter and voted for Trump in 2016, but grew critical of the former president over the years.
“While you were my choice in (2016), I and the world hoped that president Trump would be different and better than the candidate,” he wrote in July 2020 on Twitter, now called X. “But we all were greatly disappointment and it seems you are getting worse and devolving.”
In recent years he appears to have donated to and supported Democratic candidates.
The penalty sheet listed two charges: possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. He faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for both counts.
Dave Aronberg, state attorney for Palm Beach County, in an appearance on ABC News, praised the Secret Service’s prompt action after spotting the suspect and firing shots at him, leading Routh to flee. The suspect did not fire any shots, as per the report.
“I do think it’s important to investigate and find out how this person got so close,” said Aronberg. “We should also find out how easy it could be for an ex-felon to get an AK-47-style rifle,” he said.
Since the FBI stepped in to investigate the incident and pursue charges, Aronberg’s office has stepped aside. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Secret Service are aiding the FBI in its investigation.
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland reaffirmed the federal government’s support during the duration of this investigation, as Barron’s reported.
“We are grateful that the former president is safe,” Garland said. “We will work tirelessly to ensure accountability, and we will bring every available resource to bear in this investigation.”
Rep. Blake Moore, R-Utah, the vice chair of the Republican Conference, said he was “relieved” to hear Trump was unharmed and added he is “grateful for the Secret Service agents’ thorough work in protecting him.”
“This is getting out of control — the political violence, vitriol, and dangerous rhetoric needs to stop,” Moore, who represents Utah’s 1st District, said. “Democracy allows Americans to voice their opinions and visions for our nation at the ballot box and in civil discourse, never in such horrible acts of violence.”
Rep. John Curtis, R-Utah, expressed relief that Trump was unharmed and concern for the suspect’s social media history.
“The would-be assassin’s online activities are deeply concerning and warrant thorough investigation by the proper authorities and the ongoing House inquiry into the first assassination attempt,” Curtis said, in a statement provided to the Deseret News.
“We know there are serious threats from foreign governments and others against Trump and it does not seem to me that the Secret Service has learned its lessons from June. We need to know what it will take for him to receive the full protection he desperately needs.”
Curtis, who represents Utah’s 3rd District and is running for Senate, also called for lowering the temperature of the existing political discourse.
“While we may hold differing policy views, labeling opposing ideas or leaders as existential threats only undermines effective governance,” Curtis added. “Lawmakers, journalists, influencers, and others must use their platforms to foster respect and civility.”
Rep. Burgess Owens, R-Utah, in a post on social media, condemned mainstream media for the incident on Sunday.
“This evil and political demonization has to stop,” Owens, who represents Utah’s 4th District, said. “To the left-wing media: your hatred and vitriol have consequences. It has now resulted in the second assassination attempt of our past and future American president.”
“Heavenly Father has once again protected the Leader of a Free America and an example for freedom-loving societies worldwide,” he added.
President Joe Biden also expressed concern about the potential assassination attempt on Trump’s life.
“Thank God the president is OK,” he told reporters on the South Lawn. “But one thing I want to make clear: The (Secret Service) needs more help. … I think the Congress should respond to their needs, if they, in fact, need more Service people.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer in his remarks on the Senate floor indicated more government funding could be channeled to the Secret Service.
“We all must do our part to ensure an incident like this does not happen again. This means that Congress has a responsibility to ensure the Secret Service and all law enforcement have the resources they need to do their jobs,” he said, according to CNN. “So, as we continue the appropriations process, if the Secret Service is in need of more resources, we are prepared to provide it for them, possibly in the upcoming funding agreement.”
This apparent attack on Trump’s life comes two months after the former president survived an assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The shooting left one dead and two individuals seriously injured.
In a post on social media, Trump accused Vice President Kamala Harris of fostering violence through her statements at the presidential debates last week.