Ryan Wesley Routh: What we know about suspect in Trump 'attempted assassination'

The suspect in what the FBI has called an "attempted assassination" of former President Donald Trump had a lengthy criminal record, court documents show, and was a booster of a number of causes, including the war in Ukraine, an ABC News analysis of his apparent social media profiles shows.

As authorities try to unravel the motive and details of the case, sources said investigators were looking at whether Ryan Wesley Routh was frustrated with Trump's position on Ukraine. Trump refused to answer when asked if Ukraine should win its war against Russia during the ABC News presidential debate last week.

Authorities recovered a loaded SKS-style 7.62x39 caliber rifle with a scope, two backpacks -- one of which had a ceramic tile in it -- and a GoPro from the scene, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said. The would-be gunman was within 300 to 500 yards of Trump when he was spotted. The serial number on the rifle "was obliterated and unreadable to the naked eye," the criminal complaint states.

The former president was unharmed in the incident, and Secret Service acting Director Ronald Rowe Jr. said in a briefing Monday the suspect did not fire any shots.

Routh's vehicle was stopped by police after a witness reported his license plate number to authorities. He was placed into custody on Sunday afternoon. He was charged Monday with possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. More charges relating to the incident are expected in the coming days, sources told ABC News. The suspect's motive remains unknown.

Routh told the court Monday he earns a monthly income of $3,000 and owns two trucks each worth around $1,000 in Hawaii. But he owns no real estate and has "zero" savings, he said. He also has a 25-year-old son, he said.

Routh is believed to have ties to North Carolina and Hawaii, according to sources. The FBI is conducting an extensive investigation into Routh's social media activity, travel and any criminal record, sources said. Friends, family and associates are also being sought for interviews.

Routh's social media history

A law enforcement source told ABC News that profiles on X, LinkedIn, and Telegram are under investigation for a possible connection to Routh. Routh also appears to have operated a Facebook page, which has now been removed, and which listed the same phone number shared on his apparent X profile.

When ABC News dialed that number, an answering machine message said: "This is Ryan with Camp Box Buildings in Hawaii, and also the National Volunteer Center sending soldiers to Ukraine as well as Taiwan."

Online, he appears to have been a prolific booster of several causes, chiefly of Ukraine's, with numerous posts referring to an effort to recruit soldiers for that country. Specifically, many of Routh's posts referred to an effort to send Afghan soldiers to Ukraine.

It was not immediately clear whether Routh had actually recruited any fighters for Ukraine or whether he had any contact with Ukraine's military or government.

Routh's apparent X profile contained dozens of posts calling on politicians, celebrities and journalists to support Ukraine. In 2022, shortly after Russia's full-scale invasion, posts on that profile contained claims that Routh had traveled to Kyiv.

Routh spoke with an ABC News team in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on April 30, 2022 -- two months into the war -- at a protest held by family members of Azov Battalion soldiers defending the city of Mariupol against Moscow's forces.

He was wearing an American flag bandana around his neck and was holding a handwritten sign that read: "Please world we need everyone here. This is good against evil. These children want normal lives ... End Russia for our kids."

Routh told The Financial Times that he had tried to join Ukraine's International Legion for the Defense of Ukraine -- which is made up of foreign volunteers -- but was rejected for being too old. Routh claimed the Legion then suggested he work to recruit other foreigners to serve in the unit.

But a source close to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told ABC News that Routh was rejected from the International Legion not due to his age, but because he failed to pass a psychological screening.

Routh was never hired by any armed forces unit, but visited Ukraine six times in 2022 and 2023, most recently in June 2023.

The International Legion for the Defense of Ukraine told ABC News via email: "We would like to clarify that Ryan Wesley Routh has never been part of, associated with, or linked to the International Legion in any capacity. Any claims or suggestions indicating otherwise are entirely inaccurate."

A March 2023 post on a LinkedIn profile appearing to belong to Routh contained two undated photos of Routh, respectively showing him in front of the U.S. Congress and at Kyiv's Independence Square. The post was captioned, "In DC and Kyiv to provide soldiers for the war effort."

On June 10, 2020, Routh's apparent X profile directed a post on X at Trump in which he said had supported Trump in the 2016 presidential election but that Trump had become a "disappointment." The post concluded, "I will be glad when you are gone."

Several X posts in March 2020 referred to support for then-Democratic presidential primary candidates Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. Posts in January 2024 indicated support for former Republican presidential primary candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.

Facebook posts from October and November 2023 promoted conspiracy theories about China, COVID-19 and biological warfare. In December, Routh posted to the platform questioning the historical claim of Jewish people to Israel.

Routh's apparent phone number was also listed on a website for a so-called "Taiwan Foreign Legion," which calls on international volunteers to fight for Taiwan in the event of a possible conflict with China.

The most recent post on Routh's apparent Facebook page also refers to an effort to convince Taiwan to accept Afghan fighters.

Routh's criminal history

Routh has an extensive rap sheet in North Carolina dating back to 1997, including an incident from 2002 during which he reportedly barricaded himself inside a business while armed with an assault weapon, according to police and court records.

In December 2002, Routh fled a traffic stop and barricaded himself inside a local roofing business for three hours until police finally arrested him, according to the Greensboro News & Record.

Routh pleaded guilty to a felony count of possessing a weapon of mass destruction and a misdemeanor count of carrying a concealed weapon, court records show. State incarceration records show he was sentenced to probation for this incident. Court records indicate he still owes a $225 assessment related to the felony charge of possession of a weapon of mass destruction.

He also pleaded guilty in 2003 to stealing a state-issued ID card and, in 2010, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor theft charge. He was also repeatedly sued by construction contractors for attempting to write checks with insufficient funds.

Routh has several traffic citations, including speeding, running red lights, failing to wear a seatbelt, driving while his license was revoked and driving with a broken windshield, among others.

In 2019, the FBI received a tip that Routh was a felon in possession of a firearm, said Jeffrey Veltri, FBI special agent in charge of the Miami Office.

"Following up on the tip, the alleged complainant was interviewed and did not verify, I repeat did not verify, providing the initial information. The FBI passed that information to local law enforcement in Honolulu," Veltri said.

Neighbors say they had no issues

Two of Routh's neighbors in Hawaii told ABC News he seemed ordinary and never showed any signs of a capacity for violence.

Willy Lee, who lives across the street, said his neighbor's arrest came as "a shock."

"I don't really know him that well, but he's always saying hello, and he's a very good neighbor," Lee said.

Another neighbor, Christopher Tam, said there had been "no indication that [Routh] had any mean bone in his body" that would "drive him to do something like this."

"I mean, I don't think we imagine anyone that we know or interact with could possibly do anything like this," Tam added.

ABC News' Pierre Thomas, Josh Margolin, Luke Barr, Aaron Katersky, Jack Date, Peter Charalambous, Alexander Mallin, Leah Sarnoff, Joe Simonetti, Helena Skinner and Zohreen Shah contributed to this report.