Donald Trump Jr. condemned the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday, accusing them of putting his father, former President Donald Trump, in greater danger by publicly releasing a letter allegedly written by a man who attempted to assassinate the former president. The letter, from Ryan Wesley Routh, reportedly offers $150,000 to anyone who can successfully kill Trump after Routh’s own failed attempt.
WTF!? Why is Kamala’s DOJ publicizing Ryan Wesley Routh putting a bounty on my dad’s head??? https://t.co/opFtwwhKAU
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) September 23, 2024
“This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump, but I failed you,” Routh allegedly wrote in the letter, which the DOJ revealed during his pretrial detention hearing. “I tried my best and gave it all the gumption I could muster. It is up to you now to finish the job, and I will offer $150,000 to whomever can complete the job.”
The DOJ stated that publishing the letter would “assist counsel and the Court” in legal proceedings, but Donald Trump Jr. sharply disagreed. Speaking to The Daily Wire, Trump Jr. criticized the decision, arguing that it unnecessarily exposes his father to heightened risks.
“For the life of me, I do not understand why the Kamala-Biden DOJ is publicly releasing a letter from Ryan Wesley Routh announcing a $150,000 bounty on my dad’s head,” Trump Jr. said. “They’re putting his life even more at risk with this reckless decision.”
The Assassination Attempt and Routh’s Alleged Motivations
Routh, described as a Democratic donor, wrote in the letter that Trump’s policies, particularly regarding Iran, made him “unfit to be anything, much less a U.S. president.” He went on to argue that U.S. presidents should “embody the moral fabric that is America,” criticizing Trump for lacking qualities like kindness, selflessness, and compassion.
The publication of Routh’s letter comes in the wake of another assassination attempt on Trump earlier in the year. In July, a 20-year-old assailant named Thomas Crooks shot Trump in the ear during a rally in Pennsylvania, narrowly missing his head. Crooks also killed a bystander, 50-year-old Corey Comparatore, and critically injured two others during the attack.
The DOJ’s court filings further revealed that law enforcement agents searching Routh’s vehicle found items that raised further concerns, including additional license plates, cellphones, a Hawaii driver’s license, and a passport. They also discovered handwritten notes detailing Trump’s appearances in August, September, and October of 2024, suggesting that Routh had been tracking Trump’s movements. Other alarming finds included a notebook with numerous names and phone numbers related to Ukraine, potentially indicating broader motives or networks Routh was involved with.
Past Criminal Convictions
Adding to the seriousness of the threat, the DOJ filing noted that Routh has a criminal history, including a December 2002 conviction in Greensboro, North Carolina, for possession of a weapon of mass destruction—a binary explosive device. In March 2010, he was convicted of multiple counts of possession of stolen goods.
According to the filing, a civilian witness had come forward on September 18, 2024, reporting that Routh had dropped off a box at his residence months earlier. When the witness opened the box following the September 15th incident at Trump International, they found ammunition, a metal pipe, and various materials that suggested further dangerous intentions. Among the items was a handwritten letter addressed to “The World,” which restated Routh’s failed assassination attempt and his offer of $150,000 to anyone who could complete the job.
Trump Jr.’s Concerns and Broader Security Implications
Donald Trump Jr. expressed his alarm not only at the release of the letter but also at the broader implications for his father’s safety. He framed the DOJ’s decision as part of a larger failure by the Biden administration to protect his father from threats, while also highlighting the heightened personal risk Trump faces as he campaigns for the 2024 presidential election.
“This isn’t just careless, it’s dangerous,” Trump Jr. said, pointing to the deadly seriousness of the threats against his father. “By putting that bounty letter out there for everyone to see, they’re inviting more attacks. It’s outrageous.”
The situation has added to ongoing tensions between Trump’s allies and the DOJ, with many arguing that the former president is being unfairly targeted. As the 2024 election draws nearer, concerns over the safety of political figures on both sides of the aisle continue to grow, further complicating an already contentious political landscape.