Donald Trump
Donald TrumpSteven Hirsch/Pool via REUTERS

The man accused of attempting to assassinate former US President Donald Trump last week left a note several months ago outlining his intentions to kill the former president and apologizing to the world for failing to do so, the US Justice Department revealed on Monday.

Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, who was arrested after after he was spotted pointing a rifle with a scope into Trump’s golf club in West Palm Beach on September 15, left the bizarre note at the home of a third party months before the incident in which he actually tried to murder the Republican nominee.

"Dear world," the note reads, "this was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump, but I am so sorry I failed you." Routh claimed that he had tried his best and used all of his "gumption" and offered $150,000 to "whomever can complete the job."

It is unclear if the note means Routh had in fact attempted to assassinate Trump prior to last week's incident or if he was just rambling.

An earlier attempt to assassinate Trump was committed in July during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The would-be assassin, identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, fired at Trump from a nearby rooftop and was eliminated at the scene. One spectator was murdered during the attempted assassination. Trump was lightly wounded when one of the bullets hit his ear.