The man who stalked President Donald Trump with a rifle at a Florida golf course — waiting for the right moment to pull the trigger — will spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Ryan Routh, convicted of attempting to assassinate Trump in the closing months of the 2024 presidential campaign, was sentenced Wednesday to life in federal prison, ending one of the most disturbing political violence cases in modern American history.
Federal prosecutors laid out a grim picture: Routh arrived armed, concealed, and prepared to kill the leading presidential candidate. The only reason Trump is alive today, they argued, is because Secret Service agents spotted Routh before he could fire.
A Calculated Attempt to Kill a President
According to court records, Routh positioned himself at one of Trump’s Florida golf courses in September 2024, carrying a semiautomatic rifle and waiting in ambush. Secret Service agents discovered him hidden along the course perimeter, allegedly lining up what authorities described as a clear assassination attempt.
When agents confronted him, Routh fled — abandoning the weapon but not the intent. He was captured shortly afterward.
Prosecutors stressed that the plot was neither impulsive nor symbolic.
“This was not protest,” they wrote. “This was a deliberate, premeditated attempt to murder the President of the United States.”
Second Assassination Attempt in One Campaign
Routh’s arrest marked the second attempt on Trump’s life during the 2024 campaign, following the June shooting at a Pennsylvania rally in Butler, where Trump was wounded and a supporter was killed.
Federal officials repeatedly cited the Florida case as proof that political rhetoric had crossed into outright violence.
Judge Cannon Rejects Excuses, Delivers Blunt Verdict
U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon showed little patience for defense efforts to reframe Routh as misunderstood or ideologically driven.
Law enforcement officials present said Cannon made clear that motive did not matter — only intent and action.
Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek echoed that sentiment during a press conference after sentencing.
“The defendant tried to paint himself as a victim,” Budensiek said. “The jury saw him for what he was — a man prepared to commit murder.”
No Remorse, No Mercy
Prosecutors emphasized that Routh never apologized, never expressed regret, and never acknowledged the danger he created — not only for Trump, but for agents, bystanders, and golf course staff.
His lack of remorse, they argued, left the court with only one option.
Life imprisonment.
Federal Officials: Message Must Be Absolute
Attorney General Pam Bondi praised the sentence, framing it as a warning to anyone considering political violence.
“This was an attack on the President and on the democratic process itself,” Bondi wrote. “The justice system responded decisively. He will never walk free.”
