An image shared on X allegedly shows the Instagram bio of Ryan Wesley Routh, who is being charged with attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump, saying that he is a Democrat and part of the LGBTQ+ community.
Verdict: False
There is no evidence to suggest this account actually belonged to Routh.
Fact Check:
Routh, 58, has been charged for the attempted assassination of Trump and could face a life sentence, according to BBC. A court filing shows Routh had written a note that revealed his intent to kill Trump after already possibly facing 20 years in prison due charges involving his gun, the outlet reported.
An X photo claims to show a screenshot of Routh’s Instagram bio. The alleged bio shows the title “Ryan W. Routh #LGBT #ACAB.” The rest of the bio reads, “Proud dad. Proud LGBTQ+ member. Proud Dem. Don’t follow if you’re a maga! Anti-Nazi. Anti-Fascist. Anti-Racist.” It then shows emojis of the Ukrainian and Palestinian flag and flags for gay and transgender pride.
There is no evidence this image shows Routh’s account, however. The account in the post claiming to be Routh’s has since been deleted, and an archived version shows that it was private, so its posts cannot be accessed. CNN reported that Routh was an outspoken Trump critic on X and that he had a Facebook account, but the article does not mention an Instagram account. Both the Facebook and X accounts, which featured posts involving recruiting soldiers for Ukraine, have been suspended, according to the Hindustan Times.
There are no credible news reports to suggest that Routh identified as part of the LGBTQ+ community. (RELATED: No, Image Of Trump Taken At July 13 Assassination Attempt Does Not Show Him With Six Fingered Fist)
Routh’s political affiliation is difficult to pin down, according to The Guardian. He voted for President Joe Biden in 2020 but in January 2024 championed a Republican ticket of Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy, the outlet reported.
Check Your Fact reached out to a Meta spokesperson for comment.