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 害羞草研究所� even urging Iran to kill him.
害羞草研究所淵ou are free to assassinate Trump,害羞草研究所� Routh wrote of Iran in an apparently self-published book in 2023, 害羞草研究所淯kraine害羞草研究所檚 Unwinnable War,害羞草研究所� which described the former president as a 害羞草研究所渇ool害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所渂uffoon害羞草研究所� for both the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riots and the 害羞草研究所渢remendous blunder害羞草研究所� of leaving the Iran nuclear deal.
Routh wrote that he once voted for Trump and must take part of the blame for the 害羞草研究所渃hild that we elected for our next president that ended up being brainless.害羞草研究所�
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 state害羞草研究所檚 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.
害羞草研究所淒EMOCRACY is on the ballot and we cannot lose,害羞草研究所� he wrote on X in April in support of Biden.
In July, following the assassination attempt on Trump at a , a post on Routh害羞草研究所檚 account urged Biden and Harris to visit those wounded in the shooting and attend the funeral of the firefighter who was killed.
害羞草研究所淭rump will never do anything for them,害羞草研究所� Routh wrote. 害羞草研究所淪how the world what compassion and humanity is all about.害羞草研究所�
In his book, listed on Amazon and viewed by the AP, Routh noted: 害羞草研究所淚 get so tired of people asking me if I am a Democrat or Republican as I refuse to be put in a category.害羞草研究所�
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 害羞草研究所渋t seems that the totality of the world害羞草研究所檚 problems revolve around men with massive insecurity and childlike intelligence and behavior.害羞草研究所�
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.
害羞草研究所淔ight and die to stop aggression,害羞草研究所� he posted on X in February 2023 about Ukraine. 害羞草研究所淓veryone should be outraged and helping.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淭his is about good versus evil,害羞草研究所� Routh said in a video circulating online. And in a tweet, he said, 害羞草研究所淚 am going to fight and die for Ukraine.害羞草研究所�
Video shot by the AP showed Routh at a small demonstration in Kyiv害羞草研究所檚 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: 害羞草研究所淲e cannot tolerate corruption and evil for another 50+ years. End Russia for our kids.害羞草研究所� He wore a blue vest with the U.S., flag on the back.
That same day, he also visited a makeshift memorial to 害羞草研究所淔oreigners killed by Putin.害羞草研究所�
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 害羞草研究所渘onsensical ideas害羞草研究所� that 害羞草研究所渃an best be described as delusional.害羞草研究所�
Routh appeared in a video standing in front of the U.S. Capitol and expressing frustration that Ukraine wasn害羞草研究所檛 taking more of the Afghan commandos he tried to recruit.
害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e afraid that anybody and everybody is a Russian spy,害羞草研究所� he told news website Semafor in 2023.
Earlier this year, he even tweeted at singers Bruno Mars and Dave Matthews to organize a 害羞草研究所淲e are the World害羞草研究所�-style effort for Kyiv. 害羞草研究所淲e need an emotional tribute song for Ukraine as support stalls,害羞草研究所� he wrote. 害羞草研究所淚 have lyrics and music.害羞草研究所�
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 don害羞草研究所檛 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 害羞草研究所渉elp address the highest homelessness rate in the United States due to unparalleled gentrification.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淎ll of us are tired of seeing the homeless people all over the island with nowhere to go,害羞草研究所� he told Honolulu害羞草研究所檚 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.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 just been very surprising,害羞草研究所� Tam said. 害羞草研究所淚f he did have anything to do with it, it害羞草研究所檚 very shocking to us.害羞草研究所�
