5 Feb : A US federal judge on Wednesday sentenced Ryan Routh, a 60-year-old man convicted of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump during the 2024 election campaign, to life in prison, closing one of the most serious criminal cases linked to political violence in recent American history.
Routh was found guilty on five felony counts tied to a planned sniper-style attack on Trump at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, in September 2024, when Trump was campaigning for a return to the White House.
Prosecutors said Routh spent months planning the attack, researching Trump’s movements, aircraft, the golf course layout, firearms, ammunition and other equipment.
On the day of the assassination attempt, Routh hid for hours near the golf course while waiting for Trump to play golf.
“Routh’s crimes undeniably warrant a life sentence,” federal prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memo.
According to prosecutors, a Secret Service agent spotted Routh concealed in the tree line with a semi-automatic rifle. After the agent confronted him, Routh fled the area, abandoned the weapon, and officers arrested him shortly afterwards.
US District Judge Aileen Cannon handed down the life sentence during a hearing in Fort Pierce, Florida, and imposed an additional seven years in prison tied to a second count in the indictment.
Before sentencing, Cannon sharply rebuked Routh’s conduct and praised law enforcement officers and witnesses who intervened.
Trial and Courtroom Incident
Routh represented himself during much of the trial after disputes with court-appointed lawyers.
The jury deliberated for about two hours before convicting him on all counts following a trial lasting more than two weeks.
As the court read the judgment, Routh attempted to stab himself in the neck with a pen, but US Marshals restrained him.
After his arrest, Routh underwent a psychiatric evaluation that found he suffered from Narcissistic Personality Disorder and Bipolar II disorder. His lawyer said he was open to receiving mental health treatment while in prison.
The case unfolded amid heightened political tensions during the 2024 US election campaign, two months after Trump survived a separate assassination attempt in Pennsylvania.
