Ryan Routh, the 59-year-old man who attempted to assassinate President Donald Trump at his Florida golf course in 2024, was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison.
U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon handed down the sentence in federal court in Florida, siding with Justice Department prosecutors who argued that Routh should never be released. The sentence closes one of the most serious criminal cases stemming from the 2024 campaign cycle.
Routh was convicted last year after a jury found that he deliberately attempted to kill Trump while the then-presidential candidate was golfing at his West Palm Beach course on September 15, 2024. Prosecutors showed that Routh concealed himself in bushes near the sixth hole with a rifle before being spotted by Secret Service Special Agent Robert Fercano, who fired at him. Routh fled in a waiting vehicle but was later arrested by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office on Interstate 95.
During the trial, Routh chose to represent himself after dismissing his attorneys. He argued that simply possessing a weapon near Trump did not constitute intent to assassinate, a claim the jury rejected after roughly two hours of deliberation following a two-week trial. The jury convicted him on all five counts, including attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate and assault on a federal officer.
After the verdict was read, Routh attempted to stab himself in the neck with a pen inside the courtroom. Law enforcement officers immediately intervened and restrained him.
Prosecutors introduced extensive evidence of Routh’s intent, including written statements expressing hostility toward Trump and references to Iran. In one document, Routh wrote that Iran was “free to assassinate Trump as well as me.” Investigators also recovered a handwritten letter sent to a civilian witness in which Routh admitted his failed attempt and offered $150,000 to anyone willing to “finish the job.”
The letter criticized Trump’s foreign policy, claiming the former president ended relations with Iran “like a child” and blamed him for instability in the Middle East. Authorities also found multiple cell phones and a list of international flights in Routh’s vehicle. Cell phone data showed repeated pings near Trump’s golf course and Mar-a-Lago residence in the weeks leading up to the attempt.
Court filings revealed Routh’s fixation on Ukraine. He had traveled there in 2022 and was previously quoted by the New York Times about efforts to recruit fighters. According to the Justice Department, Routh communicated with someone he believed to be Ukrainian and requested a rocket-propelled grenade, writing that Trump “is not good for Ukraine” and that he needed equipment “so that Trump cannot get elected.”
The assassination attempt occurred just two months after another attack on Trump during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where Thomas Crooks fired eight shots and wounded Trump’s ear. Despite the back-to-back attempts, Trump went on to win the 2024 presidential election two months after Routh’s arrest.
With Wednesday’s sentencing, Routh will spend the remainder of his life in federal prison.
The post Man Who Attempted To Assassinate Trump At Golf Course Sentenced To Life In Prison appeared first on Real News Now.
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