Gunman Convicted in Assassination Attempt on Former Presidential Candidate Trump

A man has been found guilty of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump while he was a presidential candidate. The defendant, Ryan Routh, 59, was apprehended at a golf club in West Palm Beach in 2024 and is set to be sentenced Wednesday, with prosecutors seeking a life sentence.

Routh was convicted of multiple federal crimes last September, including the attempted assassination of a prominent presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer, and several firearms offenses. Reports indicate that after the verdict, Routh attempted to stab himself with a pen in the courtroom but was stopped by federal marshals.

Prosecutors, in a sentencing memo filed earlier, stated, “Routh shows no remorse for his actions and has never expressed regret for putting lives at risk. His conduct reflects a blatant disregard for the law.” They argue that, under federal guidelines, he should be imprisoned for life.

His new attorney, Martin L. Roth, is advocating for a reduced sentence. Roth argues that the punishment should not be excessively harsh, suggesting a longer sentence that would still allow Routh some possibility of freedom when he turns 60 in two weeks.

The sentencing hearing in Fort Pierce, Florida, was postponed from December to now because Routh opted to secure legal representation rather than defend himself throughout most of the trial.

Prosecutors disclosed that Routh had spent weeks plotting the attack on Trump during a golfing event on September 15, 2024. He allegedly aimed a rifle at some shrubbery near the golf course.

During the trial, a Secret Service agent assigned to protect Trump testified that he noticed Routh before Trump arrived and that Routh had pointed his rifle at him. The agent returned fire, prompting Routh to drop the weapon and flee without discharging it.