Prosecutors rest case in Trump assassination attempt trial as final witness ties Ryan Routh to golf club and gun purchase

Fort Pierce, Fla. — Prosecutors on Friday rested their case in the federal trial of Ryan Routh, who is accused of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump at his West Palm Beach golf club on Sept. 15, 2024. FBI Supervisory Special Agent Kimberly McGreevy testified about financial records, phone data, license-plate readers and surveillance that traced Routh’s movements from Hawaii to Florida in the days leading up to the incident. McGreevy also described a handwritten note found in Greensboro, North Carolina, that referred to an assassination attempt and mentioned a $150,000 reward.

Jurors were shown evidence of accounts shared by Routh and his daughter Sara and his son Adam, including a March 15, 2024 deposit into Sara’s account followed by a large transfer to another account in her name. McGreevy described Venmo transactions moving money between Sara and Ryan. Phone records included searches about Trump’s campaign schedule, rally tickets, golf courses, and personal whereabouts; investigators noted a September 4, 2024 search asking how many bullets the SKS rifle holds, and hundreds of firearm images. A text exchange with a contact named Vladmir included a prompt about Palm Beach and Trump’s plane, with a remark about the president’s daily travel.

In separate exhibits, investigators showed a burner-phone image of a map of Trump’s 14th hole with pins, along with a separate photo of an SKS rifle propped at the same location. Investigators recovered a 56-ounce Sunny Delight bottle that matched a receipt found in Routh’s vehicle. McGreevy testified that Routh’s primary lodging and base of operations during the late summer and early fall of 2024 was the Marathon truck stop in South Bay, Florida, with receipts showing cash payments for overnight parking. License-plate reader data placed a black Nissan Xterra in the Palm Beach area on multiple dates before the incident, including late March and early April 2024, underscoring the travel corridor investigators say connected Routh to the plot.

The government also presented photos from one of Routh’s burner phones showing elements tied to the target location, including a reflection that appears to show Routh near the 14th hole and a rifle positioned at the same site. The exhibits included a combination of financial records, travel footprints, and physical items recovered during the course of the investigation. The presentation aimed to show a pattern of preparation that predated the actual attempt and linked Routh to specific locations around Trump’s golfing venues.

Image: Court sketch Image: Court sketch

The trial progressed amid testimony about how the government tied Routh to the intended target through a mix of digital footprints and tangible items linked to purchases and movements. An explosives expert outlined devices that investigators described as part of the alleged plot, detailing the kinds of components that would be necessary to carry out an attack and how such devices could be concealed or transported. The expert’s account complemented the financial and travel records, providing a broader view of the alleged operation and the steps officials say connected Routh to the offense.

Image: Trump would-be assassin map sketch sep 17 Image: Exhibits from the government

By mid-session, prosecutors indicated they would rest their case later in the day, with the defense expected to begin calling its own witnesses in the following week. Inside the courtroom, Routh appeared in a blue suit jacket and red striped tie, smiling at times as testimony tied him to the locations and activities surrounding Trump’s golf outings. His daughter Sara was the sole family member visible in the courtroom, seated near the front and taking notes, while Routh also took notes and occasionally grinned when testimony described cash purchases for hardware supplies.

The defense has signaled it will present witnesses after the government’s case concludes, and jurors will continue to weigh the evidence over the coming days. The FBI investigation and the trial are part of a broader review of threats against sitting and former U.S. leaders, with prosecutors seeking to establish a sustained pattern of planning and preparatory actions leading to the alleged attempt.

As the court moves toward a verdict, officials emphasized that the evidence presented is intended to establish intent, capability, and opportunity tied to the alleged offense, rather than to depict any broader political aim beyond the charges filed in this specific case. The trial’s outcome could influence how prosecutors and investigators handle similar cases in the future and may provide new insights into how digital and physical traces are used to reconstruct alleged plots.