online as a man who built housing for homeless people in Hawaii, tried to recruit fighters for , and described his support and then disdain for Donald Trump sa国际传媒� even urging Iran to kill him.
sa国际传媒淵ou are free to assassinate Trump,sa国际传媒� Routh wrote of Iran in an apparently self-published book in 2023, sa国际传媒淯krainesa国际传媒檚 Unwinnable War,sa国际传媒� which described the former president as a sa国际传媒渇oolsa国际传媒� and sa国际传媒渂uffoonsa国际传媒� for both the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riots and the sa国际传媒渢remendous blundersa国际传媒� of leaving the Iran nuclear deal.
Routh wrote that he once voted for Trump and must take part of the blame for the sa国际传媒渃hild that we elected for our next president that ended up being brainless.sa国际传媒�
after authorities say he stalked the GOP presidential nominee as he golfed in West Palm Beach, Florida, with a AK-47-style rifle in an apparent assassination attempt thwarted by the Secret Service.
Three officials who identified Routh spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation and search for a motive.
Through his voluminous online footprint, public records, news interviews and videos, a picture emerged of Routh as a man with a criminal past, plenty of outrage and shifting politics.
His over 500 posts on X showed his views ranging from the left to the right, including support for politicians such as Bernie Sanders, Tulsi Gabbard and Nicki Haley, as well as Trump.
Voter records show he registered as an unaffiliated voter in North Carolina in 2012, most recently voting in person during the statesa国际传媒檚 Democratic primary in March.
Routh also made 19 small donations totaling $140 since 2019 to ActBlue, a political action committee that supports Democratic candidates, according to federal campaign finance records.
In a tweet in June 2020, after , Routh said then-President Trump could win reelection by issuing an executive order to prosecute police misconduct. However, in recent years, his posts appear to have soured on Trump, and he expressed support for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the current Democratic presidential nominee.
sa国际传媒淒EMOCRACY is on the ballot and we cannot lose,sa国际传媒� he wrote on X in April in support of Biden.
In July, following the assassination attempt on Trump at a , a post on Routhsa国际传媒檚 account urged Biden and Harris to visit those wounded in the shooting and attend the funeral of the firefighter who was killed.
sa国际传媒淭rump will never do anything for them,sa国际传媒� Routh wrote. sa国际传媒淪how the world what compassion and humanity is all about.sa国际传媒�
In his book, listed on Amazon and viewed by the AP, Routh noted: sa国际传媒淚 get so tired of people asking me if I am a Democrat or Republican as I refuse to be put in a category.sa国际传媒�
The world would be better it were run by women, he wrote in the book that has links to his website and X account, because sa国际传媒渋t seems that the totality of the worldsa国际传媒檚 problems revolve around men with massive insecurity and childlike intelligence and behavior.sa国际传媒�
He posted frequently on social media about Ukraine and other conflicts, and he had a website seeking to raise money and recruit volunteers to fight for Kyiv. A photo of the wiry, wild-haired Routh on his site shows him smiling, wearing a T-shirt and jacket adorned with U.S. flags.
sa国际传媒淔ight and die to stop aggression,sa国际传媒� he posted on X in February 2023 about Ukraine. sa国际传媒淓veryone should be outraged and helping.sa国际传媒�
sa国际传媒淭his is about good versus evil,sa国际传媒� Routh said in a video circulating online. And in a tweet, he said, sa国际传媒淚 am going to fight and die for Ukraine.sa国际传媒�
Video shot by the AP showed Routh at a small demonstration in Kyivsa国际传媒檚 Independence Square in in April 2022, two months after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an invasion of the country.
A placard he was holding said: sa国际传媒淲e cannot tolerate corruption and evil for another 50+ years. End Russia for our kids.sa国际传媒� He wore a blue vest with the U.S., flag on the back.
That same day, he also visited a makeshift memorial to sa国际传媒淔oreigners killed by Putin.sa国际传媒�
But Routh never served in the Ukrainian army or worked with its military, said Oleksandr Shahuri of the Foreigners Coordination Department of the Ukrainian Ground Forces Command.
Shahuri told AP that Routh periodically contacted the International Legion of Ukraine with what he described as sa国际传媒渘onsensical ideassa国际传媒� that sa国际传媒渃an best be described as delusional.sa国际传媒�
Routh appeared in a video standing in front of the U.S. Capitol and expressing frustration that Ukraine wasnsa国际传媒檛 taking more of the Afghan commandos he tried to recruit.
sa国际传媒淭heysa国际传媒檙e afraid that anybody and everybody is a Russian spy,sa国际传媒� he told news website Semafor in 2023.
Earlier this year, he even tweeted at singers Bruno Mars and Dave Matthews to organize a sa国际传媒淲e are the Worldsa国际传媒�-style effort for Kyiv. sa国际传媒淲e need an emotional tribute song for Ukraine as support stalls,sa国际传媒� he wrote. sa国际传媒淚 have lyrics and music.sa国际传媒�
Routh also tweeted to former basketball star Dennis Rodman, asking for help lifting sanctions against North Korea to ease tension with the country. In another, he invites a dozen protesters in Hong Kong to stay at his Hawaii home to escape a Chinese crackdown.
Routh lived most of his life in Greensboro, North Carolina, where his run-ins with law enforcement included a 2002 felony conviction for possessing a weapon of mass destruction. While court records donsa国际传媒檛 give details about the case, a newspaper story at the time said the arrest followed a three-hour, armed standoff with police at a roofing business. State records listed him as the owner.
Records also show Routh was convicted of a felony count of possession of stolen goods in 2010, as well as misdemeanors including illegally carrying a concealed weapon, a hit-and-run incident, speeding and driving with a revoked license. In each case, a judge sentenced Routh to either probation or a suspended sentence, allowing him to escape prison time.
It was not immediately clear how Routh was able to obtain a weapon. In most states, it is generally forbidden for a person convicted of a felony to purchase or possess a firearm.
In 2018, Routh moved to the small town of Kaaawa, Hawaii, about 45 minutes outside Honolulu, to go in business with his adult son building small wooden sheds. According to his LinkedIn page, the structures would sa国际传媒渉elp address the highest homelessness rate in the United States due to unparalleled gentrification.sa国际传媒�
sa国际传媒淎ll of us are tired of seeing the homeless people all over the island with nowhere to go,sa国际传媒� he told Honolulusa国际传媒檚 Star-Advertiser in 2019.
No one answered the door Sunday at his blue stucco house near the beach that is colorfully painted with wooden cutouts of fish. A white pickup truck with a Biden-Harris bumper sticker and a flat tire was in the driveway.
Neighbor Christopher Tam said Routh kept to himself and was respectful, cordial and kind.
sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 just been very surprising,sa国际传媒� Tam said. sa国际传媒淚f he did have anything to do with it, itsa国际传媒檚 very shocking to us.sa国际传媒�
