Ryan Routh Sentenced to Life in Prison for Attempted Assassination of President Donald Trump in Florida
Ryan Wesley Routh was sentenced to life in federal prison on Wednesday for his failed attempt to assassinate President Donald Trump at a Florida golf course in 2024. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon handed down the sentence at the federal courthouse in Fort Pierce, following a dramatic legal process that began with Routh’s arrest nearly a year and a half ago.
The sentencing concludes the case stemming from the September 15, 2024, incident at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach. According to court documents and testimony, Routh, 59, had camped out in the shrubbery lining the course for approximately 12 hours, waiting for the then-former president to reach the sixth hole. His plan was thwarted when a Secret Service agent, sweeping the area ahead of Mr. Trump, spotted the barrel of Routh’s SKS-style rifle poking through the fence. The agent opened fire, prompting Routh to flee the scene without discharging his weapon. He was apprehended shortly after by local law enforcement on Interstate 95.
Routh was convicted by a federal jury in September 2025 on five counts, including the attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer, and multiple firearms violations. The trial was marked by a chaotic conclusion; moments after the guilty verdict was read, Routh attempted to stab himself in the neck with a pen inside the courtroom before being subdued by U.S. Marshals.
During Wednesday’s sentencing hearing, federal prosecutors argued that a life sentence was necessary, citing Routh’s lack of remorse and the premeditated nature of the crime. In a sentencing memorandum, the government described Routh as having a “near-total disregard for law,” noting that he had written a letter months prior to the incident effectively placing a bounty on Mr. Trump’s life should he fail.
The defense, led by attorney Martin L. Roth, had requested a lighter sentence of roughly 27 years, arguing that a life term for a defendant approaching 60 was excessive and that Routh should have the opportunity to eventually be released. They also pointed to his political frustrations and mental state. However, Judge Cannon sided with the prosecution, adhering to federal sentencing guidelines that called for the maximum penalty given the gravity of the charges.
This case highlighted the heightened security concerns surrounding President Trump during the 2024 campaign, marking the second attempt on his life that year following the shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania, just two months prior. Routh will now be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons to begin his sentence.
* kvue.com
* theguardian.com
* forbes.com
* columbian.com
* ctvnews.ca
* ms.now
* youtube.com
* pbs.org
