The man accused of killing former President Donald Trump on his Florida golf course has predicted a “civil war” if the Republican candidate wins the presidential election.
In a shocking way letter to the Palm Beach Post From his federal prison cell, 58-year-old Ryan Routh warned that a second Trump term could mean “the end of democracy and the beginning of a civil war.”
He also claimed that Trump “won’t let go of power if we give it all to him” in the letter he signed as “Trump Alleged Shooter Ryan W. Routh.”
The handwriting in the letter matches one Routh allegedly wrote, offering $150,000 to anyone who could “get the job done” and kill Trump.
Federal prison officials also confirmed that the return address on the four-page letter was assigned to Routh at a Miami detention center, and his daughter later confirmed its authenticity, the Palm Beach Post reports.
Ryan Routh, the man accused of killing former President Donald Trump at his Florida golf course, has predicted a “civil war” if the Republican candidate wins the presidential election.
Routh did not discuss his attempt to assassinate the former president in the letter, but instead implored the residents of Palm Beach, Florida, not to vote for Trump.
“Will Palm Beach County hand the keys to our nation to the Trumps for the next century or more? How does Palm Beach view its neighbor?’ he asked readers.
“Palm Beach should take the lead and hopefully guide our country to choose democracy over a dictator,” Routh continued.
“I hope you will respect your leadership role and lead your state and country to preserve our American way of life.
“Please help.”
The letter came about two weeks after prosecutors warned that Routh might try to contact the media.
But the public defenders appointed to represent Routh have challenged concerns about Routh’s ability to influence public opinion through the media.
“It is the government that disseminated information to influence the public’s perception of this case,” the attorneys argued in a court filing obtained by the Palm Beach Post.
“Public statements have only been made by the government, including the DOJ, FBI and Secret Service.”
Routh apparently wrote the letter from federal prison in Miami, where he is being held on three firearms charges, attempted murder and assaulting a federal officer.
Federal prosecutors have said Routh was caught pointing the barrel of a gun through the bushes at Trump International Golf Club while the former president was on the green on September 15.
Federal prosecutors have said Routh — once a Trump supporter himself — was caught pointing the barrel of a gun through the bushes at Trump International Golf Club as the former president stood on the putting green on September 15.
He is said to have positioned himself directly in sightline of the sixth hole green while Trump played on the fifth hole.
Secret Service agents immediately chased him off the course when they heard the shots, and a witness soon saw Routh running across Summit Boulevard toward a black Nissan Xterra parked nearby.
The witness took photos of the Nissan Xterra and wrote down the license plate except for the last digit. Using that information, local police were able to find the vehicle and arrest Rout.
Inside the vehicle, police found six cellphones, one of which contained “a Google search on how to get from Palm Beach County to Mexico.”
Also in the car were twelve pairs of gloves, a Hawaiian driver’s license in Routh’s name and a list of Trump’s public appearances in August, September and October.
The former president is now locked in a tight race with Vice President Kamala Harris on the eve of the presidential election
Routh now faces three firearm charges, one count of attempted murder and one count of assault on a federal officer.
He has pleaded not guilty and will stand trial in February.
Routh could face a maximum sentence of life in prison if a jury finds him guilty of all charges.
Meanwhile, former President Trump is engaged in a tight race with Vice President Kamala Harris on the eve of the presidential elections.
A latest New York Times poll showed Trump trailing Harris in four critical swing states: Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina and Wisconsin.
But it showed they were tied in Michigan and Pennsylvania. It also showed Trump leading by one point in Arizona.
However, according to the Real Clear Polling average, Trump is ahead of Harris by 0.1 percent nationally.
And betting markets say Trump has regained a slight lead over Harris in less than 48 hours before polls close after a shock poll in Iowa put him behind the VP in the solidly red state.