Federal Trial Set for Ryan Rouse Accused of Assassination Attempt on Trump

The federal trial for Ryan Rouse, who allegedly attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump at a golf club in West Palm Beach last year, is set to commence on Thursday.

A jury panel consisting of 12 members was established on Wednesday after the selection process began on Monday. The jury includes six white women, four white men, one black woman, and one black man, with four alternates—two women and two men, all white.

The opening statements will take place in federal court in Fort Pierce, with prosecutors planning to present their case swiftly.

Trial Overview

About 180 potential jurors were summoned in three waves of 60. During jury selection, both the prosecution and Rouse could dismiss candidates they felt could not serve impartially based on various opinions and connections.

Rouse posed some unusual questions to potential jurors about subjects like the conflict in Ukraine, the situation in Gaza, and even light-hearted queries about turtles. It was, perhaps, an attempt to gauge their perspectives. Interestingly, this question-and-answer approach didn’t seem out of place in such a serious context.

Currently, more than 70 jurors out of the initial batch have been dismissed by the end of Tuesday. Many cited strong opinions about Trump or concerns regarding fair adjudication in politically charged cases.

Rouse has pleaded not guilty to federal charges that claim he attempted to assassinate a presidential candidate and assaulted a federal officer. Prosecutors allege he was armed with an AK-style rifle when he was intercepted by a Secret Service agent near Trump’s golf course in September 2024. This incident followed another assassination attempt on Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Trial Duration and Judge

The trial, presided over by Judge Irene Cannon—appointed by Trump—is expected to last somewhere between two and four weeks.