In brief
Ryan Routh, aged 59, received a life sentence for attempting to assassinate Donald Trump at a golf course in Florida in September 2024. He was convicted after a jury found substantial evidence including a rifle and a plan targeting Trump. Routh, who represented himself during the trial, displayed erratic behavior and has expressed no remorse for his actions.
Ryan Routh has been sentenced to life in prison for attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump on a Florida golf course in September of 2024. Routh, 59, was found guilty last year of trying to kill Trump, then still a presidential candidate, at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach. A US Secret Service agent in the area spotted a rifle barrel poking out of the bushes and fired at Routh, who then fled the scene and was arrested nearby.In a sentencing memorandum, Judge Aileen Cannon stated that Routh's crimes 'undeniably warrant a life sentence'. She noted that Routh had taken steps to assassinate a major presidential candidate, showing a willingness to kill anyone in his way, without displaying any regret for his actions. Routh's lawyer has indicated plans to appeal the verdict.Routh, who self-represented during the trial and pleaded not guilty, exhibited erratic behavior throughout court proceedings, including challenging Trump to a game of golf and making bizarre references to historical figures. He attempted to stab himself with a pen after the jury delivered their guilty verdict.Evidence presented included a semiautomatic rifle with an extended magazine found at his hideout, a list of potential locations where Trump could appear, and a note referring to the incident as 'an assassination attempt'. This was the second attempt on Trump's life in 2024, following a shooting at a Pennsylvania rally where one person was killed and several others injured.
