Trump shooting suspect Ryan Wesley Routh posted video of himself in Ukraine (original) (raw)

Trump shooting suspect Ryan Routh, 58, shared his plans to recruit Afghan soldiers - and bring them into Ukraine illegally from Pakistan and Iran to help fight Russia

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Ryan Wesley Routh asks for support for Ukraine war in 2022

The suspect of an alleged assassination attempt on Donald Trump posted video of himself in Ukraine campaigning for foreign fighters to help battle in the war against Russia.

Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, was detained after gunshots were fired near Donald Trump's golf course in Florida on Sunday. He had reportedly hidden in the bushes outside the West Palm Beach golf club, where Secret Services opened fire after an AK-47 rifle was spotted poking through a fence line. His vehicle was later swarmed by police on the nearby I-95 highway.

In a press conference at 5pm, Palm Beach Sheriff Rick Bradshaw said the suspect was apprehended by Secret Service agents on I-95 after being spotted running out of bushes and jumping into a black Nissan SUV. "After that we took the witness and he identified him as the person seen running out of the bushes and jumping into a car," Bradshaw said. Two law enforcement officials said the Secret Service opened fire after spotting the suspect with the firearm.

A series of unverified social media posts attributed to Routh later emerged and suggested he was actively involved in the conflict in Ukraine, even attempting to recruit others to join the fight. Now, a video has surfaced which shows his recruiting efforts in action.

Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, has been identified as the suspect who was arrested

In footage from 2022, the 58-year-old explained why he made the bold decision to travel to war-torn Ukraine. He says: "Most wonder what I'm doing in Ukraine. This is a center to help people when they come from other countries have a location, someone to talk to as a greeting committee to get them in the location they need to be,' he said while wearing a stars and stripes kerchief around his neck.

"We're helping foreigners be as useful as possible, to maximize their potential. Everyone here is self-funded. Everyone is struggling with money to be fuel. Any support would be tremendously appreciated."

Routh then bizarrely detailed his plan to recruit Afghan soldiers - and bring them into Ukraine illegally from Pakistan and Iran to help fight Russia. He claimed dozens had already expressed interest, as he told: "We can probably purchase some passports through Pakistan, since it's such a corrupt country."

Routh frequently posted on social media about the war in Ukraine and had a website where he sought to raise money and recruit volunteers to go to Kyiv to join the fight against the Russian invasion. A number of X posts from Routh emerged in the hours after he was arrested - including him trying to rally troops "to burn the Kremlin to the ground."

In one tweet dated March 2022, less than a month after Russia invaded Ukraine, he wrote, "I AM WILLING TO FLY TO KRAKOW AND GO TO THE BORDER OF UKRAINE TO VOLUNTEER AND FIGHT AND DIE...Can I be the example We must win."

During this time, he repeatedly claimed he was preparing to “fly to the Ukraine and join the fight and die if need be for democracy”. He wrote: “We need to burn the Kremlin to the ground and put an end to Russia and Putin. I am flying to Ukraine to stand for peace,” he declared, in block capitals. “Please help me with that,” he urged media outlets, and “someone join me. I cannot do it alone.”

His account has since been taken down by the social media giant.