Ryan Routh, the man convicted of trying to assassinate Donald Trump by hiding in bushes with a semi-automatic rifle on a golf course in Florida, was sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday (February 4th).
U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon handed down the sentence in Fort Pierce, Florida, after a jury last September convicted Routh, 59, of five counts, including attempted murder.
“It is clear to me that you engaged in a premeditated, premeditated conspiracy to take human life,” Cannon said at sentencing.
Prosecutors sought the maximum sentence
Federal prosecutors urged the court to impose a life sentence, arguing that Routh’s actions were aimed at “subverting American democracy” through political violence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John Shipley said the case requires a strong message that violence directed at elected leaders will not be tolerated.
Routh, who represented himself during the trial, asked the court to send him to prison for 27 years. Judge Cannon, a Trump appointee, denied the request.
Routh denies intent to kill Trump
Handcuffed and wearing beige prison garb, Routh gave a rambling statement in court that focused on foreign conflicts and suggested he should be exchanged for political prisoners abroad.
“Every day I have given every drop of who I am for the betterment of my community and this nation,” he told the court.
In court filings, Routh denied that he intended to kill Trump and said he would be willing to undergo psychological treatment in prison. He also argued that jurors were misled because he was unable to mount an adequate legal defense.
Prosecutors countered that Routh showed no remorse and that he had been planning the attack for months, willing to kill anyone who got in the way.
Details of the attempted attack
Secret Service agents spotted Routh hiding in thick brush several hundred yards from Trump as the former president played golf at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach on September 15, 2024.
Routh fled the scene, leaving behind an assault rifle, but was later arrested. Investigators said he waited in the bushes for nearly 10 hours, leaving behind metal plates resembling a bulletproof vest, a video camera aimed at the golf course and several bags.
Court evidence showed that Routh carried six cell phones and used fake names to hide his identity while tracking Trump’s movements.
Second assassination attempt in the 2024 campaign
The Florida incident comes just two months after a separate assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a gunman fired a shot that grazed Trump’s ear during a campaign rally.
Both attacks occurred in the run-up to the November 2024 presidential election, which Trump ultimately won after losing to Democrat Joe Biden in 2020.
Trump later made the assassination attempts a campaign issue, accusing the Biden administration’s Justice Department of failing to ensure his safety.
Another conviction and courtroom drama
Routh was also convicted of three counts of unlawful possession of firearms and one count of obstructing a federal officer during his arrest. He was living in Hawaii at the time after previously living in North Carolina.
During the trial, Routh dismissed his lawyers and decided to represent himself, delivering a meandering opening statement that touched on human evolution and American history before Judge Cannon cut him off.
After the jury returned its verdict, Routh attempted to stab himself with a pen and had to be restrained by U.S. Marshals. His daughter shouted in court that her father had not harmed anyone and vowed to set him free.
Trump reacts to the verdict
Trump welcomed the outcome in a post on Truth Social, calling Routh “an evil man with evil intent” and praising law enforcement for preventing the attack.
