Trump's alleged would-be assassin Ryan Routh offers to become Hamas hostage

Ryan Routh, currently awaiting trial in federal prison for attempting to assassinate President-elect Donald Trump during his 2016 presidential campaign, has written a letter offering himself as a hostage to Hamas. The letter, obtained by the New York Post, reveals Routh’s expressed willingness to surrender to the militant group in Gaza in a bid to restart peace talks and end the ongoing conflict with Israel.

“Will you go with me to Gaza and surrender to Hamas in exchange for a hostage life, please? Will you help me stop the killing of innocent children and families by offering yourself to restart the peace process and end this war?” Routh’s letter began.

Routh claimed he was willing to trade his freedom to “restart the peace conversation” and suggested this action could halt Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. Despite his incarceration, Routh bizarrely claimed to have “unlimited time and funds to travel to D.C. Qatar, Gaza, or anywhere else to deliver the new hostages.”

He also expressed support for pro-Hamas university demonstrations following the October 7 terrorist attack in Israel, writing that “It was extremely sad when our US leaders crushed the tent cities created by the University students for Gaza.”

In the letter, Routh drew parallels between himself and historical and fictional figures, writing about the fact that he has been reading about Alexander Hamilton and “crying” over his duel with former Vice President Aaron Burr which led to his death. Routh also compared himself to George Bailey from “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

“I wish for a world where we always put in more than we take out, and do not care for money, or material goods, but do not wish for our neighbors to struggle around the globe,” Routh wrote. “I feel as George Bailey, wondering if there is support and value in honor, dignity, righteousness, meek, modest, altruism, magnanimity, empathy, kindness, caring [and] sacrifice.”

The authenticity of the letter was confirmed by Routh’s daughter, who signed it alongside him. Regarding the letter, she told the New York Post, “I have tried to push it but nobody has responded and I haven’t gotten much of anything. I have tried to reach out to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Qatar and Egypt and I have not gotten much.”

Routh was arrested last September after attempting to kill Trump at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida. Armed with a rifle, Routh reportedly got within a few hundred yards of Trump on the golf course before being intercepted by the Secret Service, who opened fire. Routh was subsequently apprehended.