WASHINGTON, September 24. /TASS/. The US Department of Homeland Security in 2022 launched an interagency effort to scrutinize Americans returning from Ukraine's war zone, but they "missed" the suspect in the attempted assassination of US presidential candidate Donald Trump, Ryan Wesley Routh, the newspaper Politico reports citing sources.
According to Politico, the US authorities have been monitoring Americans who traveled to Ukraine to fight, fearing some could become violent when they return home. But they missed the man suspected of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump. Officials across the DHS and the FBI were attempting to identify Americans in talks with Ukrainian authorities. They also reviewed social media accounts for violent rhetoric, Politico explains. One DHS official reportedly knew Routh had traveled to Ukraine, though there is no indication that the FBI ever investigated him upon his return.
This episode raises questions about whether the US government is applying the right criteria to assess the risks of Americans who have tried to participate in the conflict on the side of the Ukrainian army, the newspaper writes.
On September 15, the FBI announced a new investigation into the shooting incident at the Trump International Golf Club in Palm Beach, Florida, where Trump was staying at the moment. The incident is seen as a possible assassination attempt on the politician. Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw specified that in the bushes near the golf club, where Routh Was trying to hide, they found an AK-47-style rifle with a telescopic sight, two backpacks with ceramic plates and a camera.