Ryan Routh, 59, received a life sentence after a federal court heard how he spent months meticulously plotting to kill the former president while he played golf. Prosecutors described Routh’s plan as frighteningly close to success. He had been convicted last September on five federal charges, including attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer, and multiple firearms offenses.
In their sentencing recommendation, prosecutors argued that Routh’s actions left no room for leniency. They emphasized his lack of remorse, stating that he “remains unrepentant for his crimes, never apologized for the lives he put at risk, and his life demonstrates near-total disregard for law.” The defense, however, urged the court to consider a lesser sentence of 27 years, citing Routh’s age. His attorney, Martin L. Roth, noted, “The defendant is two weeks short of being sixty years old,” and suggested that a shorter sentence would allow him to experience freedom again rather than die in prison.
Court documents and testimony revealed the extent of Routh’s planning. He spent weeks tracking Trump’s movements in South Florida, ultimately hiding in thick bushes at the West Palm Beach golf club on September 15, 2024. Armed with an assault-style rifle, body-armor-like plates, and a video camera, he waited for nearly 10 hours. A U.S. Secret Service agent eventually spotted him before Trump entered view, firing a warning shot that caused Routh to flee without firing. He was later apprehended after attempting to escape, having used multiple fake names and carrying six cellphones to conceal his identity. For more details on the media coverage of this dramatic moment, see Fox News grinds to screeching halt for Trump story and CNN halted for breaking news alert.
The sentencing comes shortly after another assassination attempt earlier that year. On July 13, 2024, during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks fired multiple shots from a rooftop, grazing Trump’s ear. The attack left one spectator dead and two others critically injured before a Secret Service sniper neutralized the threat. You can read more about ongoing concerns regarding Trump’s safety in Trump health fears soar as doctor issues warning and Fox News hosts give Trump alarming wake-up call.
Following the verdict, Routh shocked the courtroom by attempting to stab himself with a pen before being restrained by U.S. Marshals. Trump reacted online, describing Routh as “an evil man with an evil intention, and they caught him.”
Routh’s sentencing in Fort Pierce, Florida, had originally been set for December, but U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon postponed it after he chose to be represented by an attorney during sentencing rather than represent himself, as he had during much of the trial.
For a deeper dive into the court proceedings and the broader implications, check out Trump’s would-be assassin Ryan Routh receives life sentence.
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