The 58-year-old, who has a history of political commentary and an arrest record spanning decades, was reportedly arrested after a dramatic confrontation near Trump's golf course in Florida.
Routh, carrying an AK-47 style rifle, had emerged from shrubbery before fleeing in a black vehicle. The US Secret Service agents on duty opened fire, but he managed to escape before being tracked down.
AFP had previously interviewed Routh in Kyiv in 2022, during which time he expressed his support for Ukraine amid Russia's invasion.
ADVERTISEMENT
He had also made social media posts advocating for Ukraine's fight against Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In one such post, he declared his willingness to fight for Ukraine, saying, "I am willing to fly to Krakow and go to the border of Ukraine to volunteer and fight and die… We must win."
CNN and CBS have described Routh as a self-employed affordable housing builder from Hawaii.
He had been vocal on political matters, sometimes expressing criticism of Trump, the current Republican presidential candidate.
ADVERTISEMENT
This incident comes at a time of high political tensions, with the upcoming US presidential election potentially extending either President Joe Biden's policies on Ukraine or President Trump's ambiguous stance on the war.
