A federal jury convicted Ryan Wesley Routh after an alleged 2024 assassination attempt on presidential candidate Donald Trump, and a judge has sentenced him to life in prison plus 84 months; the case included a two-week trial, detailed evidence recovered at the scene, cell phone and travel records, multiple official statements, and coordination among federal and local law enforcement.
A man accused of trying to kill then-presidential candidate Donald Trump during a 2024 golf outing has been sentenced to life plus 84 months following a federal conviction. Ryan Wesley Routh, 59, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon after a jury found him guilty on all five counts presented at trial. The case drew national attention because of the target and the planning alleged in the evidence. Prosecutors pursued charges including attempted assassination, assault on a federal officer, and firearms offenses.
The trial took place over two weeks in Fort Pierce, Florida, in September 2025, where the jury returned guilty verdicts on each count. Officials described the plot as premeditated and dangerous, noting the defendant had prepared a position and equipment consistent with long-range attack. “Ryan Routh’s heinous attempted assassination of President Trump was not only an attack on our President — it was a direct assault against our entire democratic system,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement. The sentence was framed by prosecutors as necessary to protect the public and uphold the rule of law.
According to testimony and evidence, then-U.S. Secret Service Special Agent Robert Fercano was patrolling one hole ahead of President Trump at the Trump International Golf Club when he spotted a sniper-style hide in a fence line. The agent observed Routh pointing what appeared to be a rifle at him, prompting Fercano to fire at the suspect. Routh fled the scene after the exchange, setting off a multi-jurisdictional manhunt and investigation that tracked his movements off the course.
FBI Director Kash Patel commented on the case, saying, “Routh’s plan to kill a major presidential candidate, President Donald Trump, was a despicable attack on our democratic system. Thanks to the work of the FBI and our Justice Department partners, he will pay a high price for his actions. Today’s sentencing demonstrates the justice system will not tolerate such heinous attacks.” The bureau described the investigation as exhaustive and praised cooperation among agencies that led to the arrest and prosecution.
Law enforcement later recovered a Norinco SKS rifle fitted with a scope, along with a loaded magazine holding 19 rounds and one round in the chamber, steel armor plates, and a camera mounted on the fence aimed at the sixth green. Investigators detailed how the equipment and placement indicated surveillance and intent to fire from a concealed position. Those physical items were central pieces of evidence at trial and figure prominently in the sentencing rationale.
“Routh attempted to assassinate President Trump and thereby cast our Nation into what would have been one of its darkest periods,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Today’s sentence is a resounding rejection of political violence and a clear reminder that we resolve our differences through civil discourse, democratic elections, and lawful protest, not by force.” After the initial flight from the scene, a civilian witness saw Routh run across a roadway and enter a black Nissan Xterra, information that helped officers locate and stop the vehicle.
Routh was taken into custody while traveling northbound on I-95 by officers from the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. A search of the suspect’s vehicle turned up multiple mobile phones and a list of international flights, along with directions to Miami International Airport. Cell phone records presented at trial showed repeated accesses to towers near Trump International Golf Club and Mar-a-Lago between Aug. 18 and Sept. 15, 2024, which prosecutors used to establish pattern and presence around key locations.
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones emphasized the broader implications of the crime, stating, “This life sentence reflects a fundamental truth: political violence is un-American and will never be tolerated. An attempted assassination of a presidential candidate is an attack on our democratic process and the rule of law itself. This assassination attempt was stopped by the courage and professionalism of U.S. Secret Service Special Agent Robert Fercano, whose decisive actions protected lives and prevented a national tragedy. Today’s life sentence ensures the defendant will never again threaten public safety and sends a clear message that those who choose violence to advance their beliefs will face swift, certain, and decisive justice.”
Investigators also revealed that Routh had dropped a box at a witness’s residence in April 2024 after returning to the area near the golf course, and inside was a handwritten letter addressed “Dear World.” That letter included the line, “This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump, but I am so sorry I failed you.” Federal agencies involved in the probe included FBI Miami, the U.S. Secret Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and local sheriff’s offices, all of which coordinated evidence gathering and analysis.
Senior Counsel John C. Shipley, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher B. Browne, National Security Division Chief Maria K. Medetis Long, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Luce, and Trial Attorneys James Donnelly and John Cella of the Justice Department’s National Security Division Counterterrorism Section handled the prosecution. Their work culminated in conviction and the sentence imposed by the federal court. The case stands as an example of multiple agencies aligning resources to address a direct threat to a national political figure.
Editor’s Note: Democrats are fanning the flames and raising the rhetoric by comparing ICE to the Gestapo, fascists, and secret police.
