Jury Convicts Man of Attempted Assassination of Trump on Florida Golf Course

A federal jury in Fort Pierce found Ryan Routh, 59, guilty on all counts in connection with an attack on former President Donald Trump during a September 2024 golf outing in Florida.

Routh was convicted of the attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate along with multiple firearm offenses. The verdict followed a trial that began Sept. 8 at the federal courthouse in Fort Pierce, where jurors heard that Trump was playing at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, about 15 minutes from Mar-a-Lago.

During the incident, a U.S. Secret Service agent spotted a rifle barrel protruding from bushes near the perimeter and fired on the man holding it, who fled the scene and was later arrested nearby. The court heard that Ryan Routh, a North Carolina native who had lived in Hawaii before the Florida incident, hid in bushes behind a perimeter fence as Trump played. Investigators later found a semiautomatic rifle with a scope and an extended magazine where he had been hiding. Routh left behind a list of places where Trump was expected to appear and a note for a friend stating that this was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump.

During the trial, Routh, who chose to defend himself, delivered unconventional remarks and challenged Trump to a game of golf, requested access to a putting green, and offered statements that touched on topics including the history of human evolution and references to Adolf Hitler and Vladimir Putin. The judge cut those opening remarks short, signaling the court’s focus on the charges and the evidence.

This case followed another high-profile attack on Trump earlier in 2024 when gunfire erupted at a political rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July. One person was killed and several others were injured, and the gunman was killed at the scene. The Pennsylvania incident underscored the security risks surrounding Trump during the 2024 campaign cycle.

Trump responded to the verdict on social media, thanking law enforcement and a witness who helped locate Routh and provide information that led to his arrest. In a separate statement, Attorney General Pamela Bondi said the attempted attack was not only an assault on the president but an affront to the nation itself. The Florida incident occurred at a site owned by Trump, with the distance between the course and Mar-a-Lago underscoring the proximity of security concerns during the campaign.

The jury’s verdict means Routh has been found guilty on all counts, including the attempt to assassinate a major presidential candidate and the firearm offenses tied to the plan. He represented himself at trial, a choice that drew attention from observers given the seriousness of the charges and the high-profile circumstances surrounding the case. Federal prosecutors portrayed the episode as a planned, violent act, while defense arguments centered on Routh’s actions and his mental state during the events of Sept. 15, 2024.

Officials said the Secret Service has continued to review security protocols around Trump’s public appearances in Florida and nationwide in light of the incident and the subsequent verdict. The investigation and trial highlighted the persistent threat environment facing presidential campaigns and the heightened vigilance required for major political events.

The court schedule reflects a lengthy process for evaluating the evidence in federal court, including the discovery of weapons and documentary material tied to the suspect’s communications and plans. While the case has concluded with a conviction, federal authorities underscored that judicial processes, law enforcement, and security measures remain focused on preventing violence targeting any sitting or former president or other public figures.