A recent report from The New York Times surfaced on Sunday, revealing details about Ryan Wesley Routh, a 58-year-old man who was caught targeting former President Donald Trump with a scoped AK-47 rifle in West Palm Beach before being confronted by the Secret Service.
In an unusual twist, The New York Times had interviewed Routh for an article before the incident. Just hours before the attempted attack, Trump had posted on Truth Social, stating, “THE FAILING NEW YORK TIMES IS A TRUE THREAT TO DEMOCRACY!”
The Times article also connects Routh to MSNBC terrorism analyst Malcolm Nance, who previously sparked controversy when he suggested that ISIS should bomb Trump Tower in Istanbul.
Nance, known for his media appearances, joined the conflict in Ukraine in 2022, claiming to fight against Russia alongside the International Legion.
The editorial, titled “Stolen Valor: The U.S. Volunteers in Ukraine Who Lie, Waste, and Bicker,” mentions Routh twice, highlighting his alleged plans to smuggle recruits into Ukraine from Pakistan and Iran, tying him to the chaotic and controversial dynamics within the International Legion. Nance was also associated with the same legion.
New York Times excerpt:
With Legion growth stalling, Ryan Routh, a former construction worker from Greensboro, N.C., is seeking recruits from among Afghan soldiers who fled the Taliban. Mr. Routh, who spent several months in Ukraine last year, said he planned to move them, in some cases illegally, from Pakistan and Iran to Ukraine. He said dozens had expressed interest.
“We can probably purchase some passports through Pakistan, since it’s such a corrupt country,” he said in an interview from Washington.
It is not clear whether he has succeeded, but one former Afghan soldier said he had been contacted and was interested in fighting if it meant leaving Iran, where he was living illegally.
Nance was mentioned 12 times and reportedly used his intelligence background to relay information to Ukrainian counterintelligence. From NYT:
Malcolm Nance, a former Navy cryptologist and MSNBC commentator, arrived in Ukraine last year and made a plan to bring order and discipline to the Legion. Instead, he became enmeshed in the chaos.
Raheem Kassam first posted the report linking the two, commenting, “Birds of a feather.”
“An associate of Malcolm Nance tried to kill President Trump,” responded Jack Posobiec.
An associate of Malcolm Nance tried to kill President Trump https://t.co/d0BsKqX2Ow
— Jack Poso 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) September 15, 2024
Additional information from Ryan Wesley Routh’s social media accounts reveals that he had been in both Washington, DC, and Kyiv. In one oddly phrased tweet from 2020, Routh referred to Trump as “retarded.”
BREAKING.🚨
Alleged Trump golf course attacker has been identified as Ryan Routh.
The suspect was found hiding in the bushes, armed with an AK-47 equipped with a scope, carrying two backpacks, and wearing a GoPro, according to law enforcement sources.
Secret Service agents,… pic.twitter.com/g9u5y9fYxx
— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) September 15, 2024
