An ex-FBI official has come forward to ask a “scary” question about the second attempt to assassinate former President Donald Trump — how did the shooter know where Trump would be?
On Sunday, authorities apprehended 58-year-old Democrat donor Ryan Routh for planning to assassinate Trump. Routh was seen by the Secret Service hiding in the bushes with a rifle at the Trump International Golf Course West Palm Beach, where he had positioned himself roughly 300-500 yards away from the former president. He reportedly camped out at the golf course for nearly 12 hours before being spotted by Secret Service. Agents fired at Routh upon seeing him, but he escaped unscathed and fled in his vehicle before being apprehended.
Many questions were asked and concerns were expressed about this second assassination attempt on Trump, with one of the most important questions being posed by ex-FBI Assistant Director Chris Swecker — how did Routh know when and where Trump would be? This question is especially concerning because the trip to the golf course was reportedly a sudden change of plans.
Secret Service CONFIRMS President Trump's Golf Match was "not on the official schedule." How did Ryan Wesley Routh know he was playing? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/c6nYKYp8Zk
— Mark Kaye (@markkayeshow) September 16, 2024
Speaking with Newsweek on Monday, Swecker argued that authorities need to focus on this important question.
“The biggest question to answer is: ‘How did the would-be assassin know to be at that location at that time?’” he said. “There are only three possible answers: He guessed and got very lucky; he conducted surveillance on Trump and followed him to the golf course or he had inside information about Trump’s schedule.”
“The last answer is scary and has implications that another person was involved,” the ex-FBI official added.
Swecker, who served as the assistant director of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division from 2004 to 2006, went on to point out that Democrats’ “demonization of Trump is resonating with the fringe elements who are mentally unstable and highly impressionable” — adding that it is definitely “time to tone it down a bit.”
The ex-FBI official also responded to the news that Routh, who he deemed a “wingnut,” had been dedicating his time to recruit fighters to sign up to help Ukraine fight Russia.
“We know this suspect has posted about Trump being a danger to democracy and he has been active on some strange quests: visiting Ukraine to round up Afghan fighters so motive is coming into focus—he is a wing nut who dislikes authority, based on his arrest record for resisting arrest in a two-hour standoff,” Swecker added.
Others have also posed the same question about Trump’s schedule and whether Routh was in contact with someone who had inside information. Martin County Sheriff Will Snyder, who was on the scene Sunday when Routh was arrested, asked that question during several media appearances over the weekend.
“I would ask that question. That would be the first thing I’d want to know, if I was the federal government, what the heck was going on that put this guy on Trump at the golf course without any advance notice to the public that he would be out there?” he said on Newsmax.
NEW: Former assistant FBI director says would-be Trump assas*n Ryan Routh may have had inside information on Trump’s schedule.
Chris Swecker says there is a “scary” possibility someone else was involved.
“The biggest question to answer is: ‘How did the would-be assassin know to… pic.twitter.com/P4yGXLU7h8
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) September 16, 2024
