Would-be Assassin Prepares for Trial
Ryan Routh, a 59-year-old man accused of attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump last year, is now gearing up to represent himself in a federal trial.
A pretrial conference is set for Tuesday in Fort Pierce, Florida. Routh had previously been granted permission by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon to act as his own attorney, although she appointed standby counsel to assist him. Jury selection is expected to start on September 8th in the federal court located in Fort Pierce.
The trial is taking place nearly a year after the alleged assassination attempt, which occurred on September 15, 2024, at Trump’s golf club in West Palm Beach.
Routh was apprehended after a Secret Service agent spotted the muzzle of his SKS semi-automatic rifle protruding from the bushes at Trump’s International Golf Club. It’s still not clear how he knew Trump would be at that specific location. After the agent opened fire, Routh abandoned his weapon and fled, leaving behind his firearm, two backpacks, and a GoPro camera, per court filings.
He was arrested about 40 minutes later on Interstate 95 in Martin County, Florida. A woman noticed his car moving suspiciously fast and contacted law enforcement. She reported seeing him running from the golf club before getting into a black Nissan Xterra. This tip led police to issue an alert, and shortly thereafter, Routh was located and detained by officers from the Martin County and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Offices.
Documents from the court reveal that a search of Routh’s vehicle uncovered various pieces of evidence, such as a written escape plan, burner phones, fake IDs, and a document outlining strategies for joining the Russia-Ukraine conflict on Ukraine’s behalf.
Prosecutors claim that Routh had been plotting to assassinate the President for at least six months. They allege that he explored various channels to secure weapons, including a contact in Mexico known as “Ramiro,” whom Routh reached out to for help in smuggling firearms across the border.
Additionally, Routh allegedly mentioned to Ramiro that he intended to be in Mexico City following the attack, according to law enforcement sources.
He has pleaded not guilty to state charges of terrorism and attempted murder.
Routh’s past includes a record of violent threats and previous criminal charges. In 2002, he was arrested for fleeing from police and barricading himself with a machine pistol and what was described as a “weapon of mass destruction,” which turned out to be an explosive device. In another incident in 2010, police found over 100 stolen items in a warehouse he owned. He received probation or suspended sentences in all of these cases.
