A man who attempted to shoot President Donald Trump while he played golf at his Florida course has been sentenced to life in prison following his conviction for the failed assassination plot.
Ryan Wesley Routh, 59, received the maximum sentence after a federal jury found him guilty of attempting to kill the then-presidential nominee at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach on 15 September 2024. Prosecutors had requested life imprisonment for the North Carolina native.
The incident unfolded when a Secret Service agent spotted Routh’s gun whilst Trump was playing at the golf course. The agent fired at Routh, forcing him to flee the scene before he could carry out the attack on the Republican candidate during the 2024 election campaign.
A jury in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida delivered a guilty verdict on 23 September, convicting Routh of attempting to assassinate Trump. The case was heard before U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, who presided over the proceedings in the Southern District of Florida.
Following his conviction, Routh attempted to stab himself in the neck with a pen whilst in court. The self-harm incident occurred after the jury’s guilty verdict was delivered.
Routh had requested what he termed a “just punishment” from Judge Cannon in hopes of avoiding a life prison term. His plea for leniency was ultimately rejected, with the court handing down the maximum sentence sought by federal prosecutors.
The attack on Trump at his West Palm Beach golf course came just months after another assassination attempt against the president. In that earlier incident, a bullet grazed Trump’s ear during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, marking the first of two attempts on his life during the 2024 presidential race.
The Pennsylvania shooting occurred whilst Trump addressed supporters at the rally, with the bullet striking him but not causing life-threatening injuries. The Florida golf course incident represented the second major threat against Trump’s life within a matter of months as he campaigned for the presidency.
Federal prosecutors built their case around evidence of Routh’s presence at the golf course with a firearm and his clear intent to harm the then-candidate. The Secret Service intervention prevented Routh from getting close enough to carry out the planned attack.
The life sentence ensures Routh will remain in federal custody for the remainder of his life without possibility of release. The case concluded a high-profile prosecution of an attempt to kill a presidential candidate during an election campaign.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida handled the case from initial charges through conviction and sentencing. The court’s proceedings established Routh’s guilt beyond reasonable doubt before Judge Cannon imposed the life term requested by federal prosecutors.
