Ryan Wesley Routh, a 58-year-old man who was arrested Sunday for attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump, allegedly encouraged Iran to kill Trump in a book about the Ukraine war, according to excerpts circulating on social media. Routh’s alignment with neoconservative ideology is evident through his frequent posting about the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. In an interview with The New York Times, Routh discussed his efforts to recruit volunteers for fighting in the war.
Interestingly, although he was a Trump supporter in 2016, Routh’s stance changed by 2020. He posted content such as “Make Americans slaves again,” and displayed a Harris-Biden bumper sticker on his truck outside his home in Hawaii while also donating to Democrats’ fundraising efforts.
In his book, Unwinnable War, Routh praises the work of former Secretary of State John Kerry regarding the Iran deal: “I would like to celebrate the amazing work of John Kerry that humbly and humanly handled the Iran deal which elated me and the world.” He also admits responsibility for supporting Trump in the past but expresses regret, stating, “You are free to assassinate Trump as well as me for that error in judgment.
Routh also alleges in his book that Trump “perpetrated” January 6 events. This perspective mirrors the narrative often promoted by Democrats and the media, which accuses Trump of inciting political violence through inflammatory rhetoric. However, many on the left and right have condemned Routh’s assassination attempt, while some argue that the media should examine its own language and that of prominent politicians when discussing violent events in the political sphere.