Ryan Rouse Convicted of Attempted Assassination
Ryan Rouse, a man who attempted to assassinate then-candidate Trump by punching a hole in a sniper’s nest on one of Trump’s golf courses, was found guilty on Tuesday.
After around two hours of deliberation, the judge convicted the 59-year-old on multiple federal charges, including attempted assassination and assault on a federal officer, following a two-week trial in Fort Pierce, Florida.
He is awaiting sentencing in prison.
Rouse, who worked in construction and had no formal legal training, represented himself during the trial. His arguments were often bizarre, even suggesting that the case could be settled through a golf match with Trump. If he won, he proposed he would become president; if Trump won, he would face execution.
Such erratic behavior led to repeated reprimands from the judge for violating court decorum.
Prosecutors disclosed that Rouse had plotted for weeks before showing up at Trump International West Palm Beach Golf Course on September 15, 2024, while Trump was golfing.
A Secret Service agent spotted Rouse as he attempted to set up a sniper’s nest with an SKS rifle. The agent intervened, forcing Rouse to flee before any shots were fired.
This marked a second assassination attempt within weeks, as another assailant had fired multiple rounds at Trump during a campaign event in Pennsylvania earlier that summer, only to be neutralized by counter-snipers.
During the trial, Trump’s appointee Judge Eileen Cannon halted Rouse’s opening statement after he veered off into topics ranging from prehistoric history to various global leaders, including Hitler and Putin.
“This case definitely means nothing,” Rouse remarked at one point. “I’ve lived my life to the fullest.”
He also attempted to question the judge about the U.S. involvement in Greenland, pro-Palestinian student activism, and hypotheticals involving turtles crossing roads. However, Cannon deemed these queries irrelevant and dismissed them.
Having previously dismissed his lawyer, Rouse was allowed to defend himself, although the judge cautioned him that his former attorney could have handled the case better. Nonetheless, Rouse could consult with a standby attorney for procedural questions, but not for strategy.
Since taking over his defense, Rouse has submitted numerous unusual legal documents, claiming various connections and even issuing challenges to the Secret Service with odd claims.
Most of his proposed 24 witnesses were barred from testifying as they did not provide relevant information.
During the trial, the prosecution presented witnesses from 38 law enforcement agencies, while Rouse called only a couple of character witnesses and one gun expert, ultimately choosing not to testify himself.
In earlier court documents, Rouse inquired why his case wasn’t subject to the death penalty and suggested outrageous ideas like negotiating his exchange with Hamas and other nations. He even reiterated his challenge to Trump for a “death golf game,” claiming that losing should result in his execution.
