Jury Deliberations Begin in Trump Golf Course Assassination Attempt Trial

Jurors in Fort Pierce, Florida, began deliberations Tuesday in the federal criminal trial of Ryan Routh, the man accused of attempting to assassinate then-presidential candidate Donald Trump at Trump’s Palm Beach golf course last year. Routh, 59, faces five federal charges, including attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer, and multiple firearms offenses. He has pleaded not guilty. If convicted, he could face life in prison.

Prosecutors used closing arguments Tuesday to emphasize both the digital and forensic evidence presented at trial and what they described as Routh’s clear intent: to kill Trump. “This was not a publicity stunt,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Browne told the jury. “The evidence has shown one thing and one thing only — the defendant wanted Donald Trump dead,” Browne said, adding that the worst part was that he “almost got away” with it. Browne reminded jurors that there were 19 rounds found in the magazine of the SKS rifle recovered at the scene, including one in the chamber. He argued there was “no doubt, no reasonable doubt, no doubt whatsoever that it was the man” who was hiding in the sniper’s nest. Browne pointed to lyrics from a rap song Routh wrote about killing Trump with a sniper rifle — one he penned after he was caught and arrested by the FBI — as part of proving motive. “It’s not every case where the defendant writes down his intent on a piece of paper,” Browne said.

The prosecution spent roughly two weeks walking jurors through hundreds of exhibits and testimony from 38 witnesses to make its case against Routh. They tied him to the Trump International Golf Course in West Palm Beach through cellphone data, bank records, burner phones, and DNA evidence linking him to the purchase and handling of the SKS rifle found at the scene. Investigators described how Routh allegedly conducted what prosecutors called reconnaissance missions, traveling to the course on 17 separate occasions to scope out potential positions, including a so-called sniper’s nest near the sixth hole. The defense and prosecutors have offered competing narratives about what those actions meant, a dynamic that has characterized much of the trial.

Routh confirmed he understood the proceedings and told Judge Cannon that he would not testify on his own behalf, despite repeated offers to reconsider and consult with standby counsel. His decision to remain off the stand underscores the defense’s strategy to challenge the government’s interpretation of the evidence rather than present an alternate witness testimony.

The defense’s approach has contrasted with the government’s meticulous cataloging of physical and digital footprints. Prosecutors focused on how the sequence of events and the materials recovered at the scene fit a pattern of planning and intent, while the defense argued about gaps in the data and the interpretation of Routh’s state of mind on the day of the incident. The dynamic has played out over days of testimony and cross-examinations, with the jury weighing credibility and motive as they evaluate the government’s five-count indictment.

The trial, held in Fort Pierce, has exposed jurors to a broad evidentiary record, including cellphone trajectories that placed Routh near the golf course in the weeks leading up to the incident, corroborated by financial records and items recovered from the suspect. Authorities described the rifle found at the scene and the gun’s handling as consistent with preparation for an attack. The government’s case also drew on a rap lyric drafted by Routh that described killing Trump, which prosecutors argued reflected intent beyond ordinary interest or anger.

By Tuesday, prosecutors had presented a concentrated case on Count One: Attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate. Counts Two through Five, while part of the same indictment, received far less emphasis in closing arguments. The jury began deliberating with the full spectrum of exhibits and testimony laid out to guide their assessment of guilt on each charge and the potential sentence under federal law.

As deliberations unfold, the broader political and security context surrounding threats against presidential candidates has loomed in the background. The court has heard how federal prosecutors and federal agents pursue cases involving violent acts against national figures, moving through complex digital forensics, financial forensics, and physical evidence to establish a defendant’s role in a crime that could shake the course of U.S. politics.

The trial’s defense team is expected to continue challenging the government’s interpretation of the data, including the relevance of certain digital traces and the timing of Routh’s alleged actions. If the jury returns a verdict of guilty on Count One, the case could proceed to determine penalties under federal statutes for attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, as well as sanctions tied to the other counts. If found not guilty on any counts, Routh would be acquitted on that charge but potentially remain exposed on others.

The proceedings also included additional courtroom developments, such as testimony and exhibits related to how investigators accessed and analyzed mobile-device data, traces left on the rifle’s purchase records, and the chain of custody for physical evidence recovered at the golf course. The defense has signaled it will continue to challenge these elements as the case moves toward any potential future trial phases, including sentencing if a verdict of guilt is reached.

The court has scheduled continued proceedings to finalize deliberations and any post-trial motions, with no verdict yet rendered as jurors weigh the complex mix of forensic, documentary, and testimonial evidence. The outcome remains uncertain, with potential life-imprisonment implications if any of the five charges lead to a conviction on a major-count verdict.