Report Details Event Leading Up To 2nd Attack On Trump
The recent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, orchestrated by Ryan Wesley Routh, has raised serious concerns about the state of security surrounding the former president.
According to the affidavit, Routh, described as a leftist extremist, had staked out his position near the Trump International Golf Club hours before being discovered. Cell phone data indicates that he arrived at the tree line around 1:59 a.m. on Sunday, patiently waiting for nearly twelve hours until Trump’s security detail finally spotted him at 1:31 p.m.
The details of what was found at the scene paint a troubling picture. Agents recovered a loaded SKS-style rifle, bags containing food, a digital camera, and other personal items from Routh’s makeshift camp. The rifle, a cheap knock-off of the Soviet-era SKS made by Chinese manufacturer Norinco, was fitted with a scope, though it’s hardly a weapon known for long-range precision.
The 7.62x39mm round it fires isn’t well-suited for the kind of accurate shooting needed to execute a long-distance attack, particularly with the limitations of Routh’s equipment. In other words, this was a man who came prepared for violence but lacked the tools and expertise to pull it off effectively.
One key detail—the food bags—undercuts an early theory that Trump’s personal schedule had been compromised, leading some to believe that the would-be assassin had insider knowledge of Trump’s movements. Instead, it seems more likely that Routh, knowing Trump’s regular golf outings, simply arrived early, setting up camp and waiting for his opportunity.
The fact that Trump’s Sunday golf routine is well-known in Florida makes it clear that this attack was not the result of sophisticated planning, but rather of simple, patient observation.
New info: Trump assassination attempt suspect Ryan Routh was in the vicinity of the golf course's tree line for nearly 12 hours before being spotted pic.twitter.com/lEBa2P793K
— BNO News Live (@BNODesk) September 16, 2024
However, this incident brings into sharp focus some glaring questions about Trump’s security arrangements. The idea that a man armed with a cheap, poorly chosen rifle could camp out so close to a former president’s golf course for hours undetected is a chilling reminder of the lapses in security that seem all too frequent. It’s a déjà vu of sorts, eerily reminiscent of the Butler, Pennsylvania, incident, where similar security oversights allowed another threat to get dangerously close to Trump.
What’s particularly striking is how close Routh came to succeeding. Had he been more skilled or cautious—if he hadn’t made the amateur mistake of sticking the barrel of his rifle through the fence—this story could have had a far more tragic ending. The fact that a Secret Service agent only noticed the weapon at the last minute underscores just how vulnerable the former president remains, even with a security detail.
At the core of this issue is a question that needs answering: how does someone like Routh, a man armed with a knock-off rifle and minimal tactical knowledge, breach Trump’s perimeter and set up for a potential assassination? The discovery of Routh just before he could act is a fortunate stroke of luck, but relying on luck isn’t a sustainable security strategy.