DOJ Ready to Charge Trump Suspect with Attempted Assassination for Inciting Others to ‘Finish the Job’
A magistrate judge rejected Ryan Routh's request for bail during a hearing on Monday.
TroibNews 
**WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.** — Ryan Routh, the individual suspected of attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump last week, left a chilling note several months prior, urging others to “finish the job” and offering $150,000 to anyone who successfully killed the Republican presidential candidate.
This handwritten letter was included among the evidence referenced by U.S. Magistrate Judge Ryon McCabe when he decided to grant prosecutors’ request to keep Routh in detention, denying his release on $250,000 bail into his sister's care, as requested by his legal team.
Trump called on Florida officials on Monday to take the lead in prosecuting the case, claiming that the FBI and Justice Department have “mishandled and downplayed” the assassination attempt against him. He indicated that Florida prosecutors are prepared to file charges “much more serious” than the two federal gun offenses currently facing Routh.
“OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM IS CORRUPT AND DISCREDITED, especially as it pertains to the 45th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump,” Trump stated in an email to reporters. “LET FLORIDA HANDLE THE CASE!”
In response to Trump's remarks, a Justice Department spokesperson refrained from commenting on the demand, but at a Monday court hearing, federal prosecutors indicated they are ready to introduce a more serious attempted-assassination charge against Routh.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Dispoto mentioned that the Justice Department has probable cause to charge Routh under a federal law that makes it a crime punishable by up to life in prison to attempt to kill a major-party presidential candidate.
During a three-hour bail hearing, prosecutors highlighted Routh’s intentions as expressed in the letter, which he had placed in a box containing tools and other materials at the home of an unnamed associate. Addressed to “The World,” the letter condemned Trump’s character and criticized his policies towards Iran.
“This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I failed you. I tried my best and gave it all the gumption I could muster. It is up to you now to finish the job; and I will offer $150,000 to whomever can complete the job,” Routh allegedly wrote in a segment of the letter shared by prosecutors in a court filing prior to the scheduled bail hearing.
“Everyone across the globe, from the youngest to the oldest, know that Trump is unfit to be anything, much less a U.S. president,” Routh added in the letter. “U.S. presidents must at bare minimum embody the moral fabric that is America, and be kind, caring and selfless and always stand for humanity.”
Kristy Militello, Routh's public defender, argued during the detention hearing that additional pages of the letter had not been submitted by the prosecution, indicating that the complete document demonstrated Routh’s repeated assertions of intending to fail in his plans. She suggested that “perhaps this is an attempt at publicity” rather than a genuine intent to harm. Another attorney representing Routh, Renee Michelle Sihvola, pointed to parts of the letter where her client remarked that his actions would “make a few more people stop and think about how wonderful our democracy is.”
However, the judge sided with prosecutors, stating concerns for the safety of the witness who had supplied the letter to the FBI. The hearing also revealed that Routh had maintained a notebook outlining Trump’s whereabouts dating back to August and projecting expected appearances into October.
“He is not being charged based on dislike of Trump or ideologies,” Dispoto noted. “He is getting charged because of his conduct.”
McCabe presided over the hearing, listening as Dispoto presented evidence and allowing for questions directed at FBI agent Christian Hull, who is involved in the investigation. Routh attended the hearing but did not speak, maintaining eye contact with those questioning him. At one point, his attorney wrote something on a yellow notepad for him.
Both a backpack and a shopping bag were discovered on the fence near Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach, where a Secret Service agent discharged a firearm at Routh, as detailed in filings from Monday morning.
According to cell phone records, Routh traveled from North Carolina to West Palm Beach on August 14, and he had visited the site of the alleged assassination attempt several times in the days leading up to his arrest.
While Trump was golfing on September 15, a Secret Service agent spotted Routh behind a chain-linked fence with a semi-automatic rifle and fired in his direction. Routh attempted to flee but was taken into custody shortly afterward.
Investigators later retrieved a ballistic plate capable of stopping small-arms bullets from each bag. Dispoto likened the arrangement to “nothing short of a sniper’s nest” that would offer “maximum protection” from returning fire. Hull mentioned that they tested the ballistic capabilities of the plates with a pistol and confirmed that they effectively blocked bullets.
During the hearing, Sihvola inquired if any evidence linked Routh to Thomas Crooks, another suspect in a previous assassination attempt against Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, but the prosecution objected, stating it was irrelevant to the case. McCabe agreed, needing a reminder about Crooks' identity.
In addition to expressing his grievances about Trump in the letter, Routh criticized how Trump “ended relations with Iran like a child and now the Middle East has unraveled.” He previously authored a self-published book last year that harshly condemned Trump and seemingly called for his assassination by Iran due to his withdrawal from the nuclear agreement.
The defense submitted excerpts from Routh’s book into evidence, where he blamed Trump and his "undemocratic posse" for the events of January 6, alongside an article from 1991 that reported Routh receiving a “super citizen award” for assisting police in capturing a suspected rapist.
Routh faces charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an altered serial number, but no attempted assassination charges have been filed against him yet. The firearm charges carry a maximum 10-year sentence each, compared to the life sentence associated with attempted assassination.
Routh was previously convicted in North Carolina for having an explosive device in 2002 and for possessing stolen goods in 2010. Militello advocated for bail, suggesting that, despite Routh having over 100 legal encounters, he had attended almost all his hearings.
However, prosecutors contended, and the judge concurred, that Routh’s criminal history contributed to the decision to deny bail, particularly as he has been in custody since his arrest a week prior. Both parties acknowledged that Routh could have untreated mental health issues.
The judge also noted that Routh’s extensive international travel history raised concerns about him being a flight risk.
According to Dispoto, Routh lacks any connections to Florida, such as family or friends in the area, and has no work contracts or vacation plans there.
During the search of Routh’s vehicle, investigators found two additional license plates, one belonging to a different car on Florida’s west coast. Also uncovered were pairs of gloves and six cell phones, one of which indicated a Google search for routes from Palm Beach County to Mexico. A notebook contained numerous pages with names and phone numbers relating to Ukraine, along with details on how to join the combat against Russia.
Among the items near the chain-linked fence were sausage snacks, along with a letter addressed to *The New York Times*. Hull mentioned he couldn’t recall the details of the letter or whether the handwriting matched that of Routh's initial note.
As the bail hearing commenced on Monday, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody sent a letter to the FBI and the lead federal prosecutor in South Florida, requesting clarification on whether the Justice Department intended to assert exclusive jurisdiction under a provision in the assassination statute, which might restrict state officials from pursuing the case.
“I believe it would be a grave mistake for the federal government to invoke this provision, and I urge you to cooperate with the State’s investigation rather than seek to frustrate it,” Moody stated.
Leonard reported from West Palm Beach. Gerstein reported from Washington.
Olivia Brown contributed to this report for TROIB News
This handwritten letter was included among the evidence referenced by U.S. Magistrate Judge Ryon McCabe when he decided to grant prosecutors’ request to keep Routh in detention, denying his release on $250,000 bail into his sister's care, as requested by his legal team.
Trump called on Florida officials on Monday to take the lead in prosecuting the case, claiming that the FBI and Justice Department have “mishandled and downplayed” the assassination attempt against him. He indicated that Florida prosecutors are prepared to file charges “much more serious” than the two federal gun offenses currently facing Routh.
“OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM IS CORRUPT AND DISCREDITED, especially as it pertains to the 45th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump,” Trump stated in an email to reporters. “LET FLORIDA HANDLE THE CASE!”
In response to Trump's remarks, a Justice Department spokesperson refrained from commenting on the demand, but at a Monday court hearing, federal prosecutors indicated they are ready to introduce a more serious attempted-assassination charge against Routh.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Dispoto mentioned that the Justice Department has probable cause to charge Routh under a federal law that makes it a crime punishable by up to life in prison to attempt to kill a major-party presidential candidate.
During a three-hour bail hearing, prosecutors highlighted Routh’s intentions as expressed in the letter, which he had placed in a box containing tools and other materials at the home of an unnamed associate. Addressed to “The World,” the letter condemned Trump’s character and criticized his policies towards Iran.
“This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I failed you. I tried my best and gave it all the gumption I could muster. It is up to you now to finish the job; and I will offer $150,000 to whomever can complete the job,” Routh allegedly wrote in a segment of the letter shared by prosecutors in a court filing prior to the scheduled bail hearing.
“Everyone across the globe, from the youngest to the oldest, know that Trump is unfit to be anything, much less a U.S. president,” Routh added in the letter. “U.S. presidents must at bare minimum embody the moral fabric that is America, and be kind, caring and selfless and always stand for humanity.”
Kristy Militello, Routh's public defender, argued during the detention hearing that additional pages of the letter had not been submitted by the prosecution, indicating that the complete document demonstrated Routh’s repeated assertions of intending to fail in his plans. She suggested that “perhaps this is an attempt at publicity” rather than a genuine intent to harm. Another attorney representing Routh, Renee Michelle Sihvola, pointed to parts of the letter where her client remarked that his actions would “make a few more people stop and think about how wonderful our democracy is.”
However, the judge sided with prosecutors, stating concerns for the safety of the witness who had supplied the letter to the FBI. The hearing also revealed that Routh had maintained a notebook outlining Trump’s whereabouts dating back to August and projecting expected appearances into October.
“He is not being charged based on dislike of Trump or ideologies,” Dispoto noted. “He is getting charged because of his conduct.”
McCabe presided over the hearing, listening as Dispoto presented evidence and allowing for questions directed at FBI agent Christian Hull, who is involved in the investigation. Routh attended the hearing but did not speak, maintaining eye contact with those questioning him. At one point, his attorney wrote something on a yellow notepad for him.
Both a backpack and a shopping bag were discovered on the fence near Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach, where a Secret Service agent discharged a firearm at Routh, as detailed in filings from Monday morning.
According to cell phone records, Routh traveled from North Carolina to West Palm Beach on August 14, and he had visited the site of the alleged assassination attempt several times in the days leading up to his arrest.
While Trump was golfing on September 15, a Secret Service agent spotted Routh behind a chain-linked fence with a semi-automatic rifle and fired in his direction. Routh attempted to flee but was taken into custody shortly afterward.
Investigators later retrieved a ballistic plate capable of stopping small-arms bullets from each bag. Dispoto likened the arrangement to “nothing short of a sniper’s nest” that would offer “maximum protection” from returning fire. Hull mentioned that they tested the ballistic capabilities of the plates with a pistol and confirmed that they effectively blocked bullets.
During the hearing, Sihvola inquired if any evidence linked Routh to Thomas Crooks, another suspect in a previous assassination attempt against Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, but the prosecution objected, stating it was irrelevant to the case. McCabe agreed, needing a reminder about Crooks' identity.
In addition to expressing his grievances about Trump in the letter, Routh criticized how Trump “ended relations with Iran like a child and now the Middle East has unraveled.” He previously authored a self-published book last year that harshly condemned Trump and seemingly called for his assassination by Iran due to his withdrawal from the nuclear agreement.
The defense submitted excerpts from Routh’s book into evidence, where he blamed Trump and his "undemocratic posse" for the events of January 6, alongside an article from 1991 that reported Routh receiving a “super citizen award” for assisting police in capturing a suspected rapist.
Routh faces charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an altered serial number, but no attempted assassination charges have been filed against him yet. The firearm charges carry a maximum 10-year sentence each, compared to the life sentence associated with attempted assassination.
Routh was previously convicted in North Carolina for having an explosive device in 2002 and for possessing stolen goods in 2010. Militello advocated for bail, suggesting that, despite Routh having over 100 legal encounters, he had attended almost all his hearings.
However, prosecutors contended, and the judge concurred, that Routh’s criminal history contributed to the decision to deny bail, particularly as he has been in custody since his arrest a week prior. Both parties acknowledged that Routh could have untreated mental health issues.
The judge also noted that Routh’s extensive international travel history raised concerns about him being a flight risk.
According to Dispoto, Routh lacks any connections to Florida, such as family or friends in the area, and has no work contracts or vacation plans there.
During the search of Routh’s vehicle, investigators found two additional license plates, one belonging to a different car on Florida’s west coast. Also uncovered were pairs of gloves and six cell phones, one of which indicated a Google search for routes from Palm Beach County to Mexico. A notebook contained numerous pages with names and phone numbers relating to Ukraine, along with details on how to join the combat against Russia.
Among the items near the chain-linked fence were sausage snacks, along with a letter addressed to *The New York Times*. Hull mentioned he couldn’t recall the details of the letter or whether the handwriting matched that of Routh's initial note.
As the bail hearing commenced on Monday, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody sent a letter to the FBI and the lead federal prosecutor in South Florida, requesting clarification on whether the Justice Department intended to assert exclusive jurisdiction under a provision in the assassination statute, which might restrict state officials from pursuing the case.
“I believe it would be a grave mistake for the federal government to invoke this provision, and I urge you to cooperate with the State’s investigation rather than seek to frustrate it,” Moody stated.
Leonard reported from West Palm Beach. Gerstein reported from Washington.
Olivia Brown contributed to this report for TROIB News
