Trump would-be assassin found guilty on all charges; in courtroom, suspect injures himself after verdict
Florida man found guilty of attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate; after verdict, he stabbed himself with a pen as authorities watched
A Florida federal jury found Ryan Routh guilty on all charges related to the September 2024 attempt on Donald Trump’s life, and moments after the verdict was read he stabbed himself in the neck with a pen inside the courtroom. The unanimous verdict came in a Fort Pierce, Florida, proceeding several months after jurors heard testimony about the ambush outside a golf course where Trump was playing. The case culminates in a lengthy federal trial in which Routh, 59, represented himself and faced five counts connected to the attempted assassination, weapons offenses and an assault on a federal officer.
Routh was apprehended during a manhunt in Palm Beach, Florida, after Secret Service agents spotted him in bushes near one of Trump’s courses as the Republican candidate played a round. Investigators recovered a Chinese-made SKS rifle, a gun and a camera at the scene, and authorities said he fled the area before being located by law enforcement. The charges he faced included attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, attempted assassination of a possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and assaulting a federal officer.
Following the verdict, Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a statement via X, saying the decision demonstrates the Department of Justice’s commitment to punishing those who engage in political violence. “This attempted assassination was not only an attack on our President, but an affront to our very nation itself,” Bondi wrote.
Routh chose to represent himself at trial, and his courtroom remarks included a refrain on intent and purpose. At one point, he posed questions such as “What is intent? ... Why are we here? What is our intent? To love one another … Is this so difficult?” He also gave remarks that referenced Adolf Hitler, Vladimir Putin, Sudan, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the proceedings. Legal analysts have said they expect Routh to appeal the verdict.
The case followed a separate, high-profile incident nine weeks earlier in Butler, Pennsylvania, where Trump narrowly survived an assassination attempt after a Secret Service agent described a regulated engagement with the armed assailant. Special Agent Robert Fercano testified that he fired at the barrel and the face of a man behind it, calling the confrontation a textbook ambush scenario. Prosecutors argued that the Florida event was part of a broader pattern of violence against this presidential candidate, while defense arguments centered on questions of intent and legal strategy.
Routh faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, with sentencing set for December. The jury’s verdict closes a chapter in a case that has drawn attention to how federal authorities handle threats against national leaders and what measures courts will impose against individuals who target political figures.
As the case moves toward sentencing, legal observers will watch for possible appeals from Routh and for how prosecutors frame the political violence charges in the broader context of election-related security. Experts note that the outcome may influence future prosecutions and the narrative around security for presidential campaigns in the United States.