FBI had prior tip on would-be Trump assassin; acting Secret Service director ignores Blaze News' question

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The FBI revealed on Monday the man who is accused of attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump while he was on his golf course on Sunday was previously reported to the agency on the suspicion he was in possession of a firearm despite being a felon.

Jeffrey Veltri, the FBI's special agent in charge of the Miami Field Office, said the FBI received a complaint in 2019 that Ryan Routh had a firearm.

"When following up on the tip, the alleged complainant was interviewed and did not verify, I repeat, did not verify providing the initial information. The FBI passed that information on to local law enforcement in Honolulu," said Veltri.

Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe emphatically defended the security plans his agency has put in place following the first assassination attempt in July, saying the layers of security agents provide worked as intended.

'The staffer who was accompanying Rowe grabbed onto the handle of my backpack in an apparent effort to slow me down from following Rowe.'

"Immediately following the assassination attempt of [Trump] on July 13, the Secret Service moved to increase assets to an already enhanced security posture. ... In the days that followed, Biden made it clear that he wanted the highest levels of protection for former President Trump and for Vice President Harris," Rowe said. "The protective methodologies of the Secret Service were effective yesterday."

Rowe said Routh did not have Trump in his line of sight and did not get a shot off at the former president.

Veltri said it is too early in the investigation to say when Routh arrived in the West Palm Beach area and whether he worked alone or had help.

After the press conference, Blaze News asked Rowe how many assassination attempts Trump has to go through before drastic changes at the Secret Service are made. Rowe did not answer the question.

The staffer who was accompanying Rowe grabbed onto the handle of the Blaze News reporter's backpack in an apparent effort to slow him down and prevent him from following Rowe.

After Blaze News confronted the staffer, he let the reporter's backpack go and said he was just trying to get by, which he could have done without grabbing the bag as there was enough space to walk by.

After the staffer went past the Blaze News reporter, he attempted to block the reporter from reaching Rowe again, who was several steps ahead, but because the walkway was wide enough, as previously mentioned, Blaze News was able to ask Rowe the question again, to no response.

Rowe got into an SUV and left the Palm Beach County's Sheriff's Office.

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