Trump Plot Suspect Charged with Firearm Offenses

A man suspected of planning to assassinate Donald Trump was charged with two firearm-related offenses yesterday in Florida. Authorities revealed that Ryan Routh had loitered near Trump’s golf course for nearly 12 hours before a Secret Service agent spotted what appeared to be the barrel of a rifle, prompting the agent to open fire.

Although Trump was only a few hundred yards away, Routh never had a clear view of him and did not discharge his weapon, according to acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe.

Routh, a convicted felon, had previously been found guilty in 2002 for possessing a "weapon of mass death and destruction" after barricading himself in a building with an automatic firearm. His history of activism dates back to 1996.

This marks the second time in two months that an armed individual has come dangerously close to Trump, raising concerns over the effectiveness of the Secret Service’s protection. President Biden remarked that the agency "needs more help" and urged Congress to intervene.