Ryan Routh sentenced to life in prison for attempted assassination of Trump
Ryan Routh, the man convicted of the attempted assassination of then-presidential candidate Donald Trump at his West Palm Beach golf club in 2024, was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison.
Routh also received a consecutive seven-year sentence for one of his gun convictions, the Associated Press reported.
Prosecutors previously asked for life without parole, explaining that Routh was unrepentant and has never apologized. A defense attorney brought in for his sentencing asked for 27 years, noting that Routh is already turning 60.
Routh was found guilty in September 2025 on five federal criminal counts, including attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer and multiple firearms offenses.
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Ryan Routh found guilty on all counts
Jurors on Tuesday delivered a guilty verdict for Ryan Routh on all charges after he attempted to assassinate then-presidential candidate Donald Trump at his West Palm Beach golf club last September.
FOX News reported that Martin L. Roth, Routh's new defense attorney, asked the judge for a variance from sentencing guidelines: 20 years in prison on top of a seven-year, mandatory sentence for one of the gun convictions.
Routh's sentencing in Fort Pierce, Fla. was set for December 2025, but U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon agreed to push the date back after Routh opted to use a lawyer during the sentencing phase instead of representing himself as he did for most of the trial, according to FOX News.
What happened in the Trump assassination attempt?
The backstory:
Ryan Routh spent weeks plotting to kill Donald Trump before aiming a rifle through shrubbery as the then-Republican presidential candidate played golf on Sept. 15, 2024, at his West Palm Beach country club, according to prosecutors.
The attempted shooting was stopped when a member of Trump’s Secret Service protective detail spotted a partially obscured face of a man and a rifle barrel protruding through the golf course fence line, one hole ahead of where Trump was playing. The agent fired in the direction of Routh, who sped away and was stopped by law enforcement in a neighboring county.
FILE-This screengrab taken from AFPTV on September 16, 2024 shows Ryan Wesley Routh speaking during an interview at a rally to urge foreign leaders and international organizations to help provide humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of civilians
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Officials said Routh did not fire any shots and did not have Trump in his line of sight, but he left behind a digital camera, a backpack, a loaded SKS-style rifle with a scope and a plastic bag containing food.
Authorities also found a notebook found in Routh's vehicle that was filled with criticism of the Russian and Chinese governments and notes about how to join the war on behalf of Ukraine.
Meanwhile, a detention memo referenced a book authored by Routh in 2023 in which he condemned Trump’s stance on foreign policy, including in Ukraine. In the book, Routh wrote that Iran was "free to assassinate Trump" for having left the nuclear deal.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by FOX News, previous LIVENOW from FOX reporting, and the Associated Press. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.