Ryan Wesley Routh, the would-be assassin of Donald Trump, reportedly penned a disturbing letter acknowledging his failure in the attempt on the former president’s life.
In the letter, addressed to the “World,” Routh offered $150,000 to anyone who could “finish the job,” according to a note released by the Department of Justice and obtained by the Daily Mail.
“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 complete the task, and I will offer $150,000 to whomever can finish it,” the letter states.
He goes on to express his belief that “everyone across the globe knows that Trump is unfit to be anything, much less U.S. president.” Routh argues that U.S. presidents should embody America’s moral fabric, being kind, caring, and selfless.
The DOJ revealed that Routh wrote the letter months ago, leaving it in a box at someone’s home along with ammunition and a metal pipe. The unnamed recipient later turned the materials over to authorities after Routh was identified as a suspect.
Routh, 58, had also compiled a list of Trump’s upcoming public appearances and had searched for routes from Palm Beach, Florida, to Mexico.
He is scheduled to appear in federal court on Monday for a detention hearing following the attempted assassination on September 15 at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach.
Prior to that hearing, federal prosecutors submitted a factual proffer detailing the events of the day Routh attempted to assassinate Trump on the golf course.
Witnesses reported seeing Routh flee toward a nearby black Nissan Xterra after an agent fired a shot. One witness captured photographs of the vehicle and recorded part of its license plate, which helped local law enforcement locate and arrest Routh.
Inside the vehicle, authorities discovered six cellphones—one containing a Google search for traveling from Palm Beach County to Mexico—along with 12 pairs of gloves, a Hawaiian driver’s license in Routh’s name, and a list of Trump’s public appearances for the months of August, September, and October.
Additionally, Routh had a notebook filled with names and phone numbers related to Ukraine, notes on joining combat efforts there, and criticisms of the governments of China and Russia.
Routh’s arrest came after Secret Service agents spotted an AK-style rifle near Trump while he was playing golf. Although he fled the scene after discarding his weapon, he was eventually apprehended by Martin County deputies. He faces charges for possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, with more charges expected as the investigation continues.
