Man Guilty of Attempted Trump Assassination at Florida Golf Course

Man Charged with Attempting to Assassinate Donald Trump Attempts Suicide in Courtroom

A man who was charged with attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump at a Florida golf course last year made a dramatic attempt to harm himself in court shortly after being found guilty of all counts. The incident unfolded in a Fort Pierce courtroom, where Ryan Routh, 59, tried to stab himself in the neck using a pen. However, the pen was designed to prevent individuals in custody from using it as a weapon, so he did not sustain any injuries.

The jury, composed of five men and seven women, reached a verdict in about two hours of deliberation. After the announcement of the guilty verdict, Routh grabbed a pen from a desk and attempted to stab himself. Security officers quickly intervened, dragging him out of the courtroom. The event shocked those present, including his daughter, Sara Routh, who screamed for her father not to do anything and promised to get him out of the situation.

Sara continued to scream as her father was escorted from the courtroom, claiming that the case against him was unfair. She was later taken from the courtroom and waited outside with her brother, Adam Routh, for the motorcade that would transport their father away.

Inside the courtroom, Routh was brought before the judge without his jacket and tie. During the trial, he had been representing himself and was not shackled. However, after the attempted stabbing, he was placed in restraints. The judge announced that Routh will be sentenced on December 18 at 9:30 a.m., and he faces the possibility of life in prison.

Routh's standby defense attorneys did not provide comments following the verdict. He had been charged with several serious offenses, including attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, assaulting a federal officer, and possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. He pleaded not guilty and defended himself in court.

Following the verdict, Trump expressed satisfaction with how the case was handled. He told reporters in New York that it was important to prevent such incidents and emphasized that justice had been served. He thanked the judge, jury, and everyone involved in the case.

Prosecutors stated that Routh had spent weeks plotting to kill Trump before aiming a rifle through shrubbery as the Republican candidate played golf on September 15, 2024, at his West Palm Beach country club. During his closing argument, Routh claimed he did not intend to harm anyone that day. He argued that no crime occurred since the trigger was never pulled and pointed out that he could have shot a Secret Service agent if he had intended to cause harm.

Routh exercised his constitutional right not to testify in his own defense. He rested his case after questioning just three witnesses for a total of about three hours. In contrast, prosecutors questioned 38 witnesses over seven days.

Attorney General Pam Bondi praised the guilty verdict, stating it demonstrated the Department of Justice’s commitment to punishing those who engage in political violence. She called the attempted assassination an attack on the President and the nation itself. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche emphasized that the verdict sends a clear message that attempts to assassinate a presidential candidate are attacks on the Republic and the rights of every citizen.

U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon allowed Routh to represent himself after two hearings in July. The U.S. Supreme Court has recognized the right of criminal defendants to represent themselves, provided they can demonstrate competence to waive their right to legal counsel. Routh’s former defense attorneys have served as standby counsel throughout the trial.

During the trial, a Secret Service agent testified that he spotted Routh before Trump arrived and saw him aim a rifle at the agent. The agent opened fire, causing Routh to drop his weapon and flee without firing a shot. Law enforcement obtained assistance from a witness who confirmed seeing Routh fleeing the area and helped in his arrest.

Just nine weeks earlier, Trump had survived an assassination attempt while campaigning in Butler, Pennsylvania. That gunman fired eight shots, with one bullet grazing Trump’s ear before being fatally shot by a Secret Service counter sniper.

Routh, a North Carolina construction worker who recently moved to Hawaii, had a history of controversial behavior. He had previously tried to recruit soldiers from Afghanistan, Moldova, and Taiwan to fight in Russia’s war in Ukraine. In 2002, he was arrested for barricading himself with a fully automatic machine gun and an explosive device. In 2010, police found stolen items in a warehouse he owned. In both cases, he received probation or suspended sentences.

In addition to the federal charges, Routh also faces state charges of terrorism and attempted murder.