'My dad hates Trump but…': Florida assassination attempt suspect's son
Oran Routh, the son of Ryan Wesley Routh—the man accused of attempting to assassinate former United States President Donald Trump—has come forward to defend his father. In an interview with Daily Mail, Oran expressed disbelief over his father's alleged involvement in the assassination attempt. He described Ryan as a non-violent person and was unaware that his father owned a gun.
Son expresses shock over father's alleged assassination attempt
Oran first learned about his father's alleged involvement in the assassination attempt from the media. He was initially concerned about his father's well-being, asking "Was my father shot or injured?" Oran admitted that both he and his father dislike Trump, stating that his dad hated him "as every reasonable person does." However, he insisted that this is uncharacteristic behavior for Ryan, saying "He's my dad and all he's had is a couple of traffic tickets, as far as I know."
Son unaware of father's whereabouts during attack
Oran also revealed that he was not aware of his father's presence in Florida at the time of the alleged assassination attempt on Trump. He shared that Ryan had moved to Florida a few years ago and was living with his long-time girlfriend. Oran believed his father was in Hawaii based on a previous conversation where Ryan mentioned being at the beach. Their relationship had grown distant due to an unspecified "falling out," which Oran chose not to elaborate on further.
Son denies father's ownership of gun
When questioned about his father's potential gun ownership, Oran denied any knowledge of such. He stated, "Not that I know of. I've never known him to own a gun or known him to do anything bats_ like this." Oran described Ryan as a general contractor who had built a small home in Hawaii and previously owned a roofing company. Despite their strained relationship, Oran spoke highly of his father throughout the interview.
Suspect's involvement in Ukraine fundraising efforts
In addition to his son's revelations, it was discovered that Ryan had been actively involved in fundraising efforts for Ukraine. He had visited the country last year and shared content from his trip on his now-suspended social media accounts. These posts included calls to recruit soldiers for Ukraine. A video interview with Newsweek Romania also resurfaced, featuring Ryan discussing "drawing in foreign fighters for Ukraine."
