Ryan Wesley Routh, the 59-year-old man convicted of attempting to assassinate then-presidential candidate Donald Trump during a golf outing in South Florida, has been sentenced to life in federal prison.Routh was found guilty on September 23, 2025, by a federal jury on five counts, including attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer, and multiple firearms-related offenses.
Ryan Routh
The charges stemmed from an incident on September 15, 2024, at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach.During the event, a U.S. Secret Service agent spotted Routh's rifle barrel protruding through shrubbery near the golf course. The agent fired at Routh, who fled the scene but was later apprehended.
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Prosecutors had sought the maximum penalty of life imprisonment, arguing that Routh meticulously planned the attack over months, showed no remorse, and posed a significant threat to public safety and the democratic process. The defense requested a substantially shorter term, citing factors including Routh's age, mental health, and his self-representation during much of the trial.
U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon presided over the case and imposed the life sentence following today's hearing in Fort Pierce federal court.
The conviction followed a trial that began in September 2025, during which Routh initially represented himself. The courtroom saw dramatic moments, including Routh's attempt to harm himself with a pen immediately after the guilty verdict was announced.
This marked the second apparent assassination attempt on Trump in 2024, heightening security concerns around the former president and then-candidate during the election cycle.