Warning signs emerge in Kyiv about Trump assassination suspect
- Chelsea Walsh reported Ryan Routh's alarming behavior and threats to U.S. authorities after meeting him in Kyiv in 2022.
- Despite multiple warnings and reports about Routh's actions, federal agencies did not take significant action against him.
- Routh was later arrested in June 2023 for allegedly stalking Trump, raising concerns about the effectiveness of threat detection by authorities.
In 2022, Chelsea Walsh, a nurse and aid worker in Kyiv, encountered Ryan Routh, who was recruiting foreign soldiers to fight against Russian forces. Walsh observed Routh's increasingly erratic behavior, including violent outbursts and disturbing discussions about plotting to assassinate Russian President Vladimir Putin. Concerned for safety, she reported Routh to U.S. Customs and Border Protection upon her return to the U.S. in June 2022, and later to the FBI and Interpol, but received no follow-up. Despite Walsh's warnings, Routh was not placed under scrutiny, and he was later arrested in June 2023 for allegedly stalking former President Trump at his golf course in Florida. Walsh's account was one of several reports to U.S. authorities regarding Routh, including a 2019 tip about his possession of a firearm despite a felony conviction. These reports raised suspicions but did not lead to significant action against him. Federal agencies, including the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations, received multiple complaints about Routh's behavior and activities, yet they either did not respond or deemed the reports insufficient for further investigation. This lack of action has drawn criticism from lawmakers, who argue that federal agencies should be more vigilant in addressing potential threats. Walsh's efforts to alert humanitarian groups in Ukraine about Routh's behavior highlight the challenges in communication and response among various agencies. The situation raises questions about the effectiveness of the systems in place to monitor and act on potential threats, especially in the context of rising political violence.