Trump ‘shooting’ suspect spends majority of his time in Ukraine

(MENAFN) The individual accused of plotting to assassinate United States presidential candidate Donald Trump has been revealed to have spent a significant portion of the last three years in Ukraine, where he was reportedly engaged in efforts to recruit foreign fighters for the Ukrainian cause. Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, was arrested on Sunday after being spotted by the United States Secret Service at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. Authorities found an illegal rifle equipped with a scope at his makeshift ambush location.

Reports from Time magazine indicate that Routh was active in Ukraine, as evidenced by his numerous social media posts, a self-published pamphlet, and various interviews he conducted with Western media while in Kyiv. The publication has obtained private messages from two unnamed contacts in Ukraine that shed light on Routh's activities. In one message from July 2022, he mentioned having "40 or 50 men sitting around waiting for a logical place to fight," implying that he was seeking opportunities for these fighters to engage in conflict.

Despite his ambitions, Routh was described as "well known but not widely respected" within the foreign fighter community in Ukraine. His attempts to recruit fighters from Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan were characterized by acquaintances as a "half-baked plan." Sources revealed that Routh often found himself without stable housing, reportedly sleeping in barracks or military bases where Ukrainian forces were stationed.

The direct messages obtained by Time span from the summer to the fall of 2023 and include references to a list of Arab fighters that Routh claimed to have recruited. This information adds another layer to the complex narrative surrounding his alleged assassination plot against Trump, intertwining his political aspirations with his activities in a conflict-ridden region. As the investigation unfolds, questions remain about the motivations behind Routh's actions and the implications for both United States domestic security and international relations.

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