After a two-week federal trial, a jury in Florida found 49-year-old Ryan Routh guilty on all counts Tuesday for attempting to assassinate Donald Trump at a golf course in West Palm Beach last year. The jury, composed of seven women and five men, reached their verdict in just two hours.
Immediately after the decision was announced, the courtroom descended into chaos. Routh attempted to stab himself in the neck using a flexible security pen, though he did not sustain any injuries. Security personnel swiftly restrained him and removed him from the courtroom.
As Routh was escorted out, his daughter, Sara Routh, shouted emotionally, “Dad, I love you, don’t do anything! I’ll get you out — he didn’t hurt anyone!” She and her brother, Adam, were later seen waiting outside the courthouse.
According to a source familiar with courtroom security procedures, the pen Routh used was designed to be flexible and safe for detainees, making it ineffective as a weapon.
Once order was restored, U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon resumed proceedings. Routh, no longer wearing the suit and tie he had donned while representing himself in court, was brought before the bench in shackles. Judge Cannon scheduled sentencing for December 18 at 9:30 a.m., where Routh could face a life sentence. His standby attorneys declined to speak to the media following the verdict.
In New York, former President Donald Trump briefly addressed the case, calling it “well-handled” and praising the legal process. “It’s not just about me — no one should be targeted like that. Justice was done,” he said.
Planned Attack Foiled by Secret Service
Federal prosecutors laid out a disturbing plot that began weeks before the incident. They said Routh meticulously planned to assassinate Trump, who was then a leading Republican candidate, by targeting him during a round of golf at his private club on September 15, 2024.
This attempt came just over two months after another attempt on Trump’s life in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a shooter fired eight rounds, grazing Trump’s ear before being shot and killed by a Secret Service sniper.
During the Florida trial, Secret Service agent Robert Fercano testified that he noticed Routh hiding in nearby vegetation with a rifle aimed in the direction of the golf course. Fercano opened fire before Trump came into view, prompting Routh to flee without firing his weapon.
Law enforcement apprehended Routh with the help of a witness who spotted a man fleeing the scene after the gunfire. That witness later identified Routh after being flown by police helicopter to a nearby highway where the arrest occurred.
Routh faced multiple charges, including:
- Attempted assassination of a presidential candidate
- Use of a firearm in a violent crime
- Assault on a federal officer
- Illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition as a felon
- Possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number
Routh’s Defense: No Shots Fired
Representing himself in court, Routh argued during closing statements that he never intended to harm anyone, emphasizing that he never pulled the trigger.
“If I truly wanted to kill someone that day, I had the chance,” he told jurors, noting he could see Trump approaching the sixth green or could have targeted a Secret Service agent.
Despite this claim, the jury remained unconvinced, delivering a swift and unanimous guilty verdict.
Defendant Represented Himself in Court
Judge Cannon granted Routh’s request to act as his own attorney in July, following competency hearings. Under U.S. law, defendants have the constitutional right to represent themselves if they can demonstrate mental competence to do so.
Although Routh conducted his own defense, standby counsel remained present throughout the trial. He declined to testify and rested his case after calling just three witnesses — a firearms specialist and two individuals offering character references. The prosecution, by contrast, called 38 witnesses over the span of seven days.
DOJ, Officials Condemn Politically Motivated Violence
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi reacted to the verdict on X, saying it reflected the Department of Justice’s resolve in addressing politically motivated attacks.
“This was not just an attack on one man — it was an assault on democracy itself,” Bondi wrote. “The guilty verdict underscores our commitment to holding accountable those who engage in political violence.”
A Troubled and Violent Past
Investigators painted a picture of Routh as a man with a history of instability and radicalism. Originally from North Carolina, he had more recently been living in Hawaii and described himself as a mercenary leader.
Years earlier, at the onset of Russia’s war in Ukraine, he had reportedly tried to recruit fighters from countries like Afghanistan and Moldova to join anti-Russian operations.
His criminal record includes a 2002 standoff with police in Greensboro, North Carolina, where he was found with a fully automatic weapon and an improvised explosive device with a 10-inch fuse.
In 2010, police found over 100 stolen items inside a warehouse Routh owned, including construction equipment, tools, kayaks, and even spa tubs. He received probation or suspended sentences in those cases.
Routh still faces state-level charges related to terrorism and attempted murder stemming from the Trump plot.