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A man convicted of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump on a Florida golf course in 2024 was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison, with a federal judge declaring that his actions struck at the core of American democracy.
U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon sentenced Ryan Routh to life without parole, plus an additional seven years on a firearm charge, following a dramatic sentencing hearing marked by interruptions, rebukes from the bench and a rambling statement by the defendant.
“American democracy does not work when individuals take it into their own hands to eliminate candidates,” Assistant U.S. Attorney John Shipley told the court. “That’s what this individual tried to do.”
Judge delivers blunt rebuke
Cannon rejected defense arguments that Routh should receive leniency because he ultimately did not fire his weapon.
“Your plot to kill was deliberate and evil,” Cannon told Routh. “You are not a peaceful man. You are not a good man.”
Routh, who had represented himself for most of the trial before requesting an attorney for sentencing, attempted to read from a rambling 20-page statement. Cannon repeatedly cut him off, telling him his remarks were irrelevant and limiting him to five additional minutes.
“I did everything I could and lived a good life,” Routh said before being interrupted again.
Cannon imposed life sentences on the lead counts, with Routh’s additional convictions — including assaulting a federal officer and possessing a firearm as a felon — to run concurrently.
Defense sought decades, not life
Routh’s attorney, Martin L. Roth, had asked the court to impose a 20-year sentence plus the mandatory seven years for the firearm charge, arguing that Routh exercised restraint at the “moment of truth.”
“At the moment of truth, he chose not to pull the trigger,” Roth said.
Cannon pushed back, citing Routh’s criminal history and conduct throughout the case. Roth acknowledged Routh’s instability but said he had “a very good core.”
Prosecutors strongly disagreed, writing in their sentencing memo that Routh “remains unrepentant,” never apologized and showed “near-total disregard for law.”
The assassination attempt
Prosecutors said Routh spent weeks planning to kill Trump before positioning himself in shrubbery along the fairway at Trump’s West Palm Beach golf club on Sept. 15, 2024, as Trump played a round of golf during the presidential campaign.
A U.S. Secret Service agent testified at trial that he spotted Routh before Trump came into view. When Routh aimed a rifle at the agent, the agent fired, prompting Routh to drop the weapon and flee without firing a shot.
Routh was later arrested and charged with attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, using a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime, assaulting a federal officer, possessing a firearm as a felon and using a gun with a defaced serial number.
Trial turmoil and self-representation
Routh’s case was marked by repeated disruptions, including a September courtroom incident in which he attempted to stab himself shortly after jurors returned guilty verdicts on all counts.
He initially chose to represent himself at trial — a request Cannon approved after determining he was competent to waive counsel. His former federal public defenders remained as standby counsel.
Sentencing was originally scheduled for December but delayed after Routh requested an attorney for the final phase of the case.
In court filings, Routh suggested he could be exchanged in a prisoner swap and wrote that Trump could “take out his frustrations on my face.” Cannon previously denounced those filings as a “disrespectful charade” but granted his request for counsel to avoid appellate issues.
A violent record and online trail
Routh had multiple prior felony convictions, including possession of stolen goods, and maintained a large online footprint expressing hostility toward Trump.
In a self-published book, Routh encouraged Iran to assassinate Trump and at one point wrote that, as a former Trump voter, he bore responsibility for helping elect him.
Prosecutors said that history underscored the seriousness of the threat and justified the life sentence.
