58-Year-Old Suspect Undermines Richard Hanania's 'Young Males' Assassination Claim

Richard Hanania, president of the Center for the Study of Partisanship and Ideology (CSPI), recently made a contentious claim on social media regarding recent assassination attempts. Hanania stated, "For all the talk of young men going right, we’ve in the last year had two major assassination attempts by young high-IQ white males." This assertion, which also suggested that "the young males conservatives are winning over are of the less brainy kind," has prompted scrutiny into the factual basis of his remarks.

Public records and law enforcement reports reveal discrepancies in Hanania's characterization, particularly concerning the age of one alleged perpetrator. In July 2024, Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old white male, opened fire at a Donald Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, grazing the former president and killing one attendee. Crooks, described as an "intelligent loner" by investigators, was shot dead at the scene, fitting the "young white male" aspect of Hanania's claim.

However, a second alleged assassination attempt on Donald Trump in September 2024 at his Florida golf course involved Ryan Routh. Routh, a white male, was identified by authorities as 58 years old, directly contradicting Hanania's assertion that both incidents involved "young" males. Routh was apprehended after allegedly aiming a rifle at Trump, though he did not fire the weapon.

Richard Hanania is a prominent figure in right-wing political commentary, known for his critiques of "wokeness" and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. His public profile includes past controversial writings under a pseudonym, "Richard Hoste," which contained racist and eugenicist views that he has since disavowed. Hanania frequently engages with themes linking intelligence to political leanings and social groups, providing context for his "less brainy kind" comment.

The claim that both perpetrators were "high-IQ" remains unsubstantiated by public information regarding either Thomas Matthew Crooks or Ryan Routh. The factual inaccuracy regarding the age of one alleged assailant highlights the importance of verifying specific details in public discourse. This incident underscores the ongoing debate surrounding the intersection of political commentary, social media, and factual reporting.