Attempted Trump Assassin Sentenced to Life
Ryan Routh, the man convicted of trying to assassinate President Donald Trump during the 2024 presidential campaign, was sentenced Wednesday in federal court to life in prison plus an additional seven years. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon in Fort Pierce, Florida.
Routh, 59, was found guilty by a federal jury last September on five criminal counts, including attempted assassination of a presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer, and multiple firearms offenses.
The attack unfolded on September 15, 2024, at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, where Trump was golfing as the then-Republican presidential nominee. Prosecutors presented evidence that Routh had spent weeks surveilling the course, positioning himself in dense shrubbery with a rifle and related equipment. A Secret Service agent spotted him and fired, preventing any shot from being taken at Trump.
In court on Wednesday, Judge Cannon described Routh’s conduct as deliberate and dangerous. She imposed the life sentence, with a consecutive seven-year term tied to a gun conviction.
The sentencing had originally been scheduled for December 2025, but was delayed after Routh, who represented himself during the trial, opted to retain counsel for the sentencing phase.
Prosecutors urged the court to impose life in prison, arguing Routh’s actions constituted a direct and premeditated threat to democratic processes and public safety. Routh’s attorney had asked for a far shorter sentence—advocating for roughly 20 to 27 years—citing his client’s age and mental health needs.
During the original trial proceedings, Routh’s defense was hampered by his decision to act as his own lawyer, a choice he later regretted and abandoned ahead of sentencing. At one point after the guilty verdict, he attempted to harm himself in the courtroom and had to be restrained.
In delivering the sentence, Judge Cannon emphasized the gravity of an attempted assassination—especially against a major political figure—and stated that the maximum allowable punishment was appropriate given the evidence of extensive planning and the lack of remorse shown by Routh.
The case marked one of the most serious attacks on a U.S. political figure in recent history, coming just weeks after another assassination attempt against Trump at a Pennsylvania rally earlier in 2024.