Trump Applauds Judge’s Ruling in Assassination Attempt Case

On Tuesday, former President Donald Trump expressed gratitude toward the judge who convicted Ryan Wesley Rous, a 59-year-old man found guilty of attempting to assassinate him at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach last September.

According to the Department of Justice, Rous was convicted on five federal counts, including firearm possession linked to serious assassination attempts and violent crimes. Additionally, he was a felon who had assaulted a federal officer and was found guilty of having a firearm with an altered serial number.

The Associated Press reported that shortly after the verdict, Rous attempted to stab himself in the neck with a pen, prompting officials to intervene.

Trump commented on Rous’ conviction during his speech at the UN General Assembly, stating, “I’m very grateful for the justice given and the way it was handled by Pam Bondy and Todd Blanche and everyone on their team. It was managed very well, which is important.”

He added, “It’s not about me, yet even the president and others can’t forget this. Justice has been served, and we’ll see what unfolds. I’m thankful to the judges; they handled it all very professionally, which is a great honor.”

In a past social media post, Trump had labeled Rous as “an evil person with evil intentions,” implying that the authorities had caught him before he could do any real damage.

Rous was reportedly caught with an AK-style rifle on the golf course, just as Secret Service agents were patrolling nearby. Witnesses saw him flee the scene, leading to his eventual arrest.

According to DOJ notes, witnesses observed suspects running from the golf course to a black Nissan Xterra. Following tips from eyewitnesses, Rous was apprehended with the help of both the Palm Beach County and Martin County Sheriff’s Offices while heading north on Interstate 95.

A search of Rous’s vehicle turned up a list of overseas flights, multiple phones, and directions to Miami International Airport dated around the time of the assassination attempt. Mobile records indicated that Rous’s phones had been connecting to towers near Trump International and Mar-A-Lago several times in the weeks leading up to the attempted attack.

As reported by NBC News, sentencing for Rous is scheduled for December 18, 2025.