Former US President Donald Trump is returning to the campaign trail in the state of Michigan on Tuesday, just two days after the second alleged assassination attempt on him. An event that the Republican candidate directly blamed on his Democratic rival, Vice President Kamala Harris. For the former president, the suspect arrested Sunday in Florida “adheres to the speech of Biden and Harris, and acts accordingly,” according to comments reported by the channel Fox News“Because of this speech from the communist left, bullets are flying and it will only get worse,” he added.
While the 59-year-old Democrat has condemned all political violence in a statement and expressed relief that Donald Trump was not hit, she has so far not responded in person to this alleged attack on her rival, nor to the accusations made by the latter. However, the suspect who was charged on Monday, the day after the events, did not shoot the former president, according to the latest information from the authorities. The Express takes stock of what we know about this event which is further shaking up the campaign for the presidential election on November 5.
Suspect Did Not Shoot Trump
Ryan Wesley Routh, the 58-year-old man arrested Sunday, “did not fire” his weapon, Ronald Rowe, acting director of the Secret Service, the agency responsible for protecting senior American political figures, said Monday afternoon. Spotted by an agent who opened fire on him, “the suspect, who had no line of sight on the former president, fled. He did not fire,” Rowe said at a press conference in West Palm Beach, Florida. “The suspect did not even come close to firing a shot and we apprehended him and brought him to justice,” said West Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw.
According to the findings from the tracking of his phone, he spent nearly 12 hours around Donald Trump’s golf club – between 1:59 a.m. and 1:31 p.m. local time Sunday – before being spotted. An SKS-type assault rifle, with the serial number erased and fitted with a rifle scope, two bags and a camera were found around the golf course fence, according to investigators.
The Secret Service did not search the entire perimeter
While he praised the actions of his agents during his speech, including praising them for spotting the barrel of a handgun in the bushes at the golf club and shooting the suspect before he could fire, Ronald Rowe admitted at the same time that there was no search or reconnaissance of the course at Donald Trump’s golf club. An admission that raises more questions about the agency two months after a similar incident in Pennsylvania, points out The New York TimesPresident Joe Biden told reporters Monday that the Secret Service “needs more help” and that Congress should act.
Speaking to reporters, the acting director of the Secret Service also said that “the president was not even supposed to go [au club de golf]”. Ronald Rowe also indicated that the Republican presidential candidate did not have a scheduled outing to the course on his official schedule. He did not specify in his statements, however, whether this meant that the agents did not have time to sweep the golf course. However, it is common knowledge that Donald Trump frequently plays golf at one of his courses in Florida on Sundays, points out The New York Times.
Ryan Wesley Routh appeared before a judge in Florida on Monday and was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, based on his criminal record, and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. The charges carry maximum sentences of 15 and five years in prison, respectively. Routh was previously convicted of a felony for “possessing a weapon of mass death and destruction” in 2002 after barricading himself inside a building with a fully automatic weapon.
“Another crazy day”
While participating in a discussion event on the X platform, Donald Trump returned Monday evening to the alleged assassination attempt of which he was the victim, report our colleagues from World. The second in two months. The Republican presidential candidate said he was playing golf with friends when they “heard gunshots in the air,” “probably four or five.” He said he and his friends then got into a golf cart and “made pretty good progress.” “I wish I had made that last putt,” he added, noting that he was unable to finish his round.
He later said an officer saw the barrel of a gun and then “started shooting into the bushes.” […] and then run toward the target,” before reporting that a woman who was in the area had taken photos of the suspect’s license plate and forwarded them to authorities. The former president also discussed his conversation with his successor, Joe Biden, with whom he spoke earlier Monday about the assassination attempt. “He was very nice, he called to make sure I was okay,” Donald Trump said, adding that Joe Biden also asked him for his opinion on whether “we needed more people on my team.” “It was another crazy day, but it ended up much better“ than the last time, he added, referring to the previous alleged assassination attempt in July at a rally in Pennsylvania, where one person was killed and two others were injured.