Interviewer who spoke with Trump assassination suspect in 2023 recalls interaction: "He seemed off"

The reporter who interviewed the man accused of attempting to assassinate former President Trump recalled the interaction with the would-be assassin "instantly."

In March 2023, Tanya Lukyanova, a Free Press reporter, interviewed 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh for a Semafor story about Ukraine's decision to reject foreign fighters seeking to aid in the war against Russia. Lukyanova discussed her conversation with Routh on "America's Newsroom."

"Lukyanova said on Monday that "he seemed off" in a video interview, which looked like a scene from a Coen Brothers movie. Despite appearing distraught, he wasn't the most colorful personality she spoke to as part of the story."

On Sunday afternoon, Routh was apprehended following a chase that began at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Fla. According to officials, Secret Service personnel opened fire on him after noticing the barrel of his AK-47 protruding through a chain-link fence on the course, one hole in front of where Trump was playing.

Lukyanova was informed by her Semafor editor that the suspect in the current story was the same person she interviewed for the Ukraine story last year.

"Lukyanova stated that she instantly recognized him as a colorful personality during their interview. She was working on a story about the U.S.-trained, elite Afghan commandos who wanted to join the Ukraine war effort, and he founded the International Volunteer Legion, which served as a liaison between international fighters seeking to join the Ukraine effort and the Ukrainian Defense Ministry and other government organizations."

"She continued, "He was doing a lot of work for them. In fact, he traveled to Ukraine and lived there for five months. A source from inside the Ukrainian government gave me his contact info as one of the most active volunteers working in this area of bringing international fighters.""

During the interview, Routh was in Washington, D.C., to meet with lawmakers and advocate for increased U.S. involvement in Ukraine's war against Russia.

It was unclear if he ever actually met with anyone on Capitol Hill.

"Lukyanova stated that he strongly backed the Ukrainian cause and actively advocated for the U.S. to take greater action to assist Ukraine."

She continued, "I never spoke to him again. I had no idea about his political views until last night."

A background check reveals that Routh has had numerous encounters with law enforcement since at least the 1990s, despite currently residing in Hawaii.

Routh, a native of North Carolina, has a history of arrests for simple drug possession, driving without a license, expired inspection, and operating a vehicle with no insurance. In 2002, the Greensboro News & Record reported that Routh was arrested after barricading himself in his roofing company's office during a three-hour standoff following a traffic stop in which he put his hand on a gun before fleeing.

Although Lukyanova was taken aback by Routh's apparent efforts to kill the ex-president, she was surprised by his criminal history and her own initial reservations about him during the interview.

"Lukyanova stated that he never perceived him as an assassin of a former president, but rather as someone who was overzealous and passionate about supporting the right cause."

Planet Chronicle' Emma Colton and Brooke Curto contributed to this report.