A man accused of attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump in Florida on Sunday appeared in court Monday morning to face charges and learn the next steps in the legal process.
What Happened: Ryan Wesley Routh has been charged with two federal gun-related offenses in connection with his attempted assassination of Trump, which was the second attempt on the former president's life ahead of the 2024 election.
In a short hearing Monday morning, Routh was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, as reported by the Associated Press.
Routh faces up to 15 years in prison if he is found guilty of the first charge, and faces a five-year prison sentence if convicted on the second charge.
The next hearings are set for Sept. 23 with a bond hearing, and Sept. 30 for a probable cause hearing or arraignment, depending on if the government obtains an indictment on the two charges.
Routh told the court that he is currently working and makes around $3,000 a month. The gunman said he has no savings, no real estate and his only assets are two trucks worth $1,000 that are located in Hawaii. Routh also said he sometimes supports a 25-year-old son.
Read Also: Trump Vows To ‘Never Surrender’ After Surviving Second Assassination Attempt
Why It's Important: The reported assassination attempt took place at a Florida golf course Sunday, where Trump was golfing. A Secret Service member noticed Routh and fired several warning shots, which prompted the gunman to flee in an SUV. An assault rifle and scope were found, while reports say Routh never fired a shot.
Trump has pushed back against the Democratic Party, attributing the negativity directed at him as the motivation behind Routh's thwarted assassination attempt.
Trump said Routh "believed the rhetoric of Biden and Harris, and he acted on it.”
"Their rhetoric is causing me to be shot at, when I am the one who is going to save the country, and they are the ones that are destroying the country – both from the inside and out," Trump told Fox News.
Reports indicate that Routh had previously expressed support for Trump online, but later posted negative comments about him and voiced support for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.
Not much is known about Routh after the assassination attempt. The Associated Press previously filmed Routh at a demonstration in Kyiv, Ukraine, after Russia invaded the country. Routh held a sign saying Russia's corruption and evil can not be tolerated while participating in the rally.
Ukrainian officials have said that Routh never served in the Ukrainian army or worked with the country's military. A representative said Routh has contacted the Ukrainian government with "delusional" and "nonsensical ideas" in the past.
Routh said in a past interview that he was working to recruit foreign fighters in Ukraine after being rejected for volunteering as he was too old.
"A lot of other conflicts are grey, but this conflict is definitely black and white. This is about good versus evil," Routh said in a video, as reported by Reuters.
The second attempt on Trump's life in less than two months has brought calls for additional security for the former president. Senator Rick Scott said he is proposing legislation to increase security for Trump and other former presidents. House Speaker Mike Johnson also said the U.S. House of Representatives will demand additional Secret Service protection for Trump.
Acting Secret Service director Ronald Rowe is expected to tour the Florida golf course where Sunday's events happened on Monday. Rowe will also have briefings on the investigation Monday.
Shares of Trump Media & Technology Group DJT have experienced volatility in Monday’s trading session following the assassination attempt and Trump's announcement that he will not sell his stake in the company when the lock-up period ends later this month.
The stock traded higher in the premarket session before falling. Shares are currently down 4% to $17.30 on Monday, versus a 52-week trading range of $15.30 to $79.38.
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