Would-Be Trump Assassin Ryan Routh Learns Fate: Court Ruling

A federal court has handed down a decisive sentence in one of the most alarming political violence cases in recent history, reinforcing the gravity of threats against America’s elected leaders and candidates.

Life Sentence Delivered in Attempted Assassination Case

On Wednesday, a federal judge sentenced Ryan Wesley Routh, 59, to life in prison plus an additional 84 months for his role in the 2024 attempted assassination of President Donald J. Trump, who was then a former president and the Republican Party’s nominee. Federal prosecutors emphasized that the punishment reflects the extraordinary seriousness of targeting a presidential candidate.

Routh was found guilty by a federal jury in September 2025 on five felony counts. These included attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal law enforcement officer, and multiple firearms violations tied to the September 15, 2024, attack at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida.

According to prosecutors, Routh hid in shrubbery near the golf course with a rifle, allegedly aiming at Trump and a Secret Service agent before federal agents intervened. He fled but was captured soon after in the surrounding area.

Judge Rejects Leniency Request

During sentencing, U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon imposed the maximum allowable punishment, turning aside defense arguments seeking a reduced sentence. She concluded that the defendant’s actions warranted the harshest legal consequences available.

Cannon said Routh’s conduct “undeniably warrant[s] a life sentence.”

“He took steps over the course of months to assassinate a major Presidential candidate, demonstrated the will to kill anybody in the way, and has since expressed neither regret nor remorse to his victims,” she wrote.

Defense attorneys have signaled they intend to appeal.

The Department of Justice underscored that the ruling sends a clear message against political violence and aims to deter similar threats in the future. Lead federal prosecutor John Shipley stated the government presented a “mountain of evidence” showing “how close he got to actually pulling this off.”

Second Major Threat in a Turbulent Election Year

The Florida incident marked the second attempt on President Trump’s life during the volatile 2024 campaign season. In July of that year, a gunman opened fire at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, leaving one person dead and several others injured, including Trump. Authorities identified the attacker as 20-year-old Thomas Crooks, who was fatally shot by law enforcement at the scene.

Despite Trump’s return to the presidency, threats have not ceased. Heightened security measures have continued to follow the commander in chief. In October, Trump boarded Air Force One using a smaller staircase due to “increased security measures” at Palm Beach International Airport, according to a White House official who spoke to Fox News.

The additional precautions came after Secret Service agents discovered what appeared to be a suspected hunting stand with a direct line of sight to the presidential aircraft’s landing area. Fox News first reported the potential sniper position. Authorities have not announced any arrests connected to the discovery.

FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed an investigation was underway, explaining the seriousness of the potential threat.

“Prior to the President’s return to West Palm Beach, USSS discovered what appeared to be an elevated hunting stand within sight line of the Air Force One landing zone,” Patel told Fox News Digital.

“No individuals were located at the scene. The FBI has since taken the investigatory lead, flying in resources to collect all evidence from the scene, and deploying our cell phone analytics capabilities,” he added.

USSS Chief of Communications Anthony Guglielmi told Fox the agency is “working closely” with the FBI and local authorities to investigate. He noted that agents located the structure during routine security sweeps.

“There was no impact to any movements, and no individuals were present or involved at the location,” Guglielmi told Fox. “While we are not able to provide details about the specific items or their intent, this incident underscores the importance of our layered security measures,” he said.

Prosecutors noted that Routh had previously constructed a concealed sniper’s nest near the golf course fence line before being apprehended by Secret Service agents — a chilling reminder of the ongoing risks facing America’s leaders.