Ryan Wesley Routh has been sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for attempting to assassinate former United States President Donald Trump at a Florida golf club in September 2024.
U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon handed down the sentence after a federal jury found the 59-year-old guilty on multiple felony counts, including attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, assault on a federal officer and firearms offences.
The incident took place on 15 September 2024 at Trump International Golf Club. Prosecutors told the court that Routh had concealed himself in bushes along the perimeter of the course while armed with a semi-automatic rifle fitted with a scope and extended magazine. Trump was on the course at the time, unaware of the danger.
A Secret Service agent noticed the barrel of the rifle protruding from the foliage and immediately responded, forcing Routh to flee the scene. He was arrested minutes later on a nearby highway. No shots were fired at Trump or the agents, but investigators said the suspect had positioned himself with a clear line of sight and had spent months planning the attack.
Evidence presented in court included a notebook in which Routh allegedly outlined plans to kill Trump or sabotage his aircraft.
Investigators also recovered online messages in which he attempted to source weapons and offered a monetary reward for assistance. Prosecutors said his social media activity revealed strong anti-Trump rhetoric and political grievances, which he framed as justification for his actions.
According to CNN, Routh's notebook was uncovered, detailing plans to kill Trump or derail his plane, including a Sh19.5Million ($150,000) bounty offer on social media and WhatsApp messages looking for foreign weapons for the hit.
The rifle recovered at the scene bore markings, including an inverted U.S. flag sticker, which prosecutors argued symbolised his hostility towards the American government.
A federal grand jury indicted Routh in late 2024. Despite repeated warnings from the court, he chose to represent himself during the trial, which began in September 2025. He argued that his actions were intended as a symbolic protest rather than an attempt to cause harm, a defence the prosecution strongly rejected.
The jury deliberated briefly before returning guilty verdicts on all counts. During the reading of the verdict, there was a brief disruption in the courtroom before order was restored.
In delivering the sentence, Judge Cannon said the gravity of the offence and the level of premeditation clearly justified life imprisonment. Federal investigators described the case as a serious threat to democratic processes and public safety.
The case marked the second assassination attempt involving Trump in 2024, following an earlier shooting at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania in July that year.
Routh, who is from Hawaii and has a previous criminal record, is expected to appeal the conviction.
Court documents revealed that post-conviction psychiatric assessments cited personality and mood disorders, though the judge noted that these did not lessen his criminal responsibility.
