Ryan Routh Found Guilty of Attempting to Assassinate Donald Trump
Federal jury convicts 59-year-old of plotting to kill the former president at Trump’s Florida golf club; case linked to a prior Pennsylvania attack.
A federal jury found 59-year-old Ryan Routh guilty on Tuesday of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump at his Florida golf club during the former president's campaign last year. Prosecutors said the plan followed a high-profile attempt against Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, two months earlier, and that Routh stockpiled military-grade weapons, more than a dozen burner phones, and researched Trump's movements and campaign events.
During the trial, jurors heard that a Secret Service agent spotted a man pointing an AK-style rifle from the fence abutting the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, where Trump was playing. The agent opened fire at the man, who fled. A witness testified that Routh had dropped off a box at his residence in April that included a handwritten letter that said: 'This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I am so sorry I failed you.'
The jury found 59-year-old Routh guilty of attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate after just two hours of deliberation. He was also convicted of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, assaulting a federal officer, possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon, and possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number. He had pleaded not guilty and defended himself in court. In his closing argument, Routh said he never intended to kill anyone that day, adding that it’s hard to believe a crime occurred if the trigger was never pulled.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said the verdict illustrates the DOJ's commitment to punishing those who engage in political violence. She wrote on X that the ruling underscored the nation's resolve to protect leaders and the democratic process. FBI Director Kash Patel described the act as a disgusting act — mere weeks before an election and only months after a separate assassination attempt came dangerously close to succeeding. He added that FBI teams worked quickly with local partners and the DOJ to demonstrate a clear pattern of Routh's planning and intent.