World
A Man Convicted of Attempting to Assassinate Trump Set to Be Sentenced
The incident occurred less than two months before the 2024 US election, a period when Donald Trump had just regained the presidency after four years under Democrat Joe Biden.
Ryan Routh, a man accused of hiding in bushes at a Florida golf course with a semi-automatic rifle to try and assassinate Donald Trump just prior to the election, is set for sentencing on Wednesday by US District Judge Aileen Cannon in Fort Pierce, Florida.
Prosecutors have asked for a life sentence, citing that Routh plotted the assassination over months, was willing to kill anyone who got in his way, and showed no remorse or regret.
At trial, which lasted until September 2024, Routh was convicted of five criminal counts including attempted assassination. During the hearing, he pleaded not guilty but fired his lawyers, choosing instead to represent himself despite lacking any formal legal training. His defense focused on his non-violent nature but offered little pushback as law enforcement witnesses detailed the evidence.
Routh’s conviction came two months after a gunman at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, had narrowly missed Trump, who was speaking at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach. Both incidents occurred close to the 2024 election when Trump claimed that the US Justice Department under Biden could not be trusted with investigating.
Routh’s sentencing comes as an escalation of two assassination attempts on Trump: one in Pennsylvania and another in Florida, which Routh attempted. The case highlighted tensions over investigations during Trump’s term despite his party claiming they were lacking trustworthiness.
The Secret Service spotted Routh hiding in bushes a few hundred yards from the golf course where Trump was playing. He fled after leaving an assault-style rifle behind and was later arrested. At trial, Routh denied his intention to kill Trump but suggested jurors had been misled due to his inability to mount a proper legal defense. His daughter, however, argued for her father’s innocence, insisting he did not harm anyone.
Prosecutors emphasized the seriousness of Routh’s plot, stating that without the Secret Service’s intervention, “Donald Trump would be alive.” After receiving this verdict, Routh attempted to stab himself with a pen, necessitating his restraint by US marshals. His daughter cried out in court, saying she would get him released from prison.
President Trump praised the jury’s decision, writing on his Truth Social site, “This was an evil man with an evil intention and they caught him.”