Man gets life sentence for Trump golf course assassination attempt

FLORIDA: Ryan Routh, the man convicted of attempting to assassinate US President Donald Trump at a Florida golf course in 2024, has been sentenced to life in prison by a federal court, CNN reported.

According to CNN, Routh was found guilty in September on five counts, including attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, as Trump was campaigning for the 2024 US Presidential Elections, after he set up a sniper position near the now US President’s West Palm Beach golf course and was thwarted by a US Secret Service agent. The sentencing was delivered on Wednesday (local time) by US District Judge Aileen Cannon.

According to court proceedings, Judge Cannon described Routh’s actions as “deliberate and evil”, saying he had clearly demonstrated intent to kill and came close to carrying out his plan.

In addition to life imprisonment, Routh was handed multiple concurrent sentences, including 84 months for possessing a firearm during a violent crime, 240 months for assault on a federal officer, 18 months for possession of a firearm as a convicted felon, and 60 months for possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number, as reported by CNN.

Ryan Wesley Routh Sentenced to Life in Prison for Attempted Assassination of President Donald J. Trump and Assault of a Federal Law Enforcement Officer https://t.co/RyZqSmqfPb@FBIMiamiFL pic.twitter.com/ZCqHb6xO3n

— FBI (@FBI) February 4, 2026

The US Justice Department had sought a life sentence, with prosecutors stating that Routh showed no remorse and was prepared to kill or assault anyone who obstructed his plan. Prosecutor John Shipley told the court that evidence showed Routh had carefully planned the attack and waited for the right moment to strike.

During the trial, prosecutors presented photographs taken from Routh’s makeshift sniper’s nest, showing that Trump was just 126 feet away on the sixth green when Routh aimed his rifle. Investigators said Routh had conducted surveillance of the golf course and Trump’s nearby Mar-a-Lago residence in the weeks leading up to the incident, using burner phones to search for Trump’s rally schedules and local traffic cameras, CNN reported.

Evidence also included a handwritten letter in which Routh confessed to attempting to assassinate Trump and offered USD 150,000 to anyone who could “finish the job”. Authorities said there was no indication Routh had the funds to carry out such an offer.

The attempted attack took place on September 15, 2024, when Routh, armed with a Soviet-style rifle and shielded by armour plates, positioned himself along the perimeter fence of the golf course, CNN reported. A Secret Service agent spotted the rifle barrel and Routh’s face through the fence and fired shots, forcing Routh to flee.

Routh was later identified and apprehended after a civilian witness noted his vehicle’s licence plate and alerted authorities. Additional evidence showed Routh had searched for escape routes, including directions to Miami airport and flights to Mexico.

Routh represented himself during parts of the trial and was repeatedly reprimanded by the court for straying from legal arguments. According to CNN, he claimed during closing arguments that the assassination attempt “was never going to happen”, an argument rejected by the jury, which returned a guilty verdict after deliberating for three hours.

Following the verdict, Routh attempted to harm himself in the courtroom but was restrained by US Marshals. (ANI)