Florida has charged Ryan Wesley Rouse as a suspect in the ongoing investigation into his actions.
On Thursday, Florida Attorney General James Usmeyer posted on social media platform X, stating: “My office has officially filed charges against Ryan Rouse for attempting to assassinate then-presidential candidate Donald J. Trump.”
Rouse’s assassination attempt took place in September at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, amid an intensely competitive campaign season just months after a prior attempt in Pennsylvania in July.
“My office, along with our law enforcement allies, faced significant challenges in prosecuting this case during Biden’s administration,” Usmeyer mentioned in a video accompanying the post. “Biden and his Attorney General obstructed our efforts and attempted to hinder the investigation into a man who sought to inflict political violence upon residents of Florida.”
“I appreciate their failure, and I am thankful that Donald Trump is once again president,” he continued. “U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondy and FBI Director Kash Patel have been instrumental in preserving Florida’s autonomy and ensuring justice is served.”
In December, former Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody reportedly asserted that federal investigators probing alleged assassination attempts against state law officials had shown a “lack of cooperation and support.” She alleged that federal agents barred access to crime scenes, evidence, and witness interviews.
Rouse is currently detained on federal charges including attempting to assassinate a presidential candidate, unlawfully carrying a firearm with intent to commit violent crimes, assaulting a federal officer, and possessing firearms along with ammunition, including a firearm with an altered serial number. Caution advised with Associated Press.
Oka has reached out to Rouse’s attorney for a statement.
