The man who tried to assassinate Donald Trump at his Florida golf course at the peak of the 2024 election campaign has been sentenced to life in prison. Ryan Routh, 59, was sentenced on Wednesday to life in prison, with an additional 84 months added on.
U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon handed down the sentence to Routh in the same Fort Pierce courtroom that descended into chaos back in September, when the would-be assassin tried to stab himself shortly after a jury convicted him on all charges. Prosecutors pushed for a life sentence without parole, arguing that Routh has shown no remorse and has never apologized for the assassination attempt.
Assassin's Fate Sealed
Routh's defense attorney, however, urged the court to impose a 27-year sentence instead, pointing out that Routh is approaching 60 years old. Routh was also handed a separate seven-year sentence for one of his firearms convictions, to be served consecutively.
His sentencing was originally set for December, but Cannon agreed to postpone it after Routh chose to hire a lawyer for the sentencing phase, having represented himself through much of the trial.
In a sentencing memo, prosecutors argued that Routh has still not taken responsibility for his actions and should remain behind bars for the rest of his life under federal guidelines.
Routh was found guilty of trying to assassinate a major presidential candidate, using a firearm to carry out a crime, assaulting a federal officer, illegally possessing a gun as a convicted felon, and carrying a weapon with a defaced serial number.
"Routh remains unrepentant for his crimes, never apologized for the lives he put at risk, and his life demonstrates near-total disregard for law," the memo said.
Routh's new defense attorney, Martin L. Roth, asked the judge for a variance from the standard sentencing guidelines and to impose a 20-year prison term, in addition to the mandatory seven-year sentence tied to one of the gun charges.
"The defendant is two weeks short of being sixty years old," Roth wrote in a filing. "A just punishment would provide a sentence long enough to impose sufficient but not excessive punishment, and to allow defendant to experience freedom again as opposed to dying in prison."
Long Plan to Assassinate Trump
Prosecutors said Routh spent weeks planning to assassinate Trump, ultimately positioning himself in the bushes and aiming a rifle as the Republican presidential candidate played golf at his West Palm Beach country club on September 15, 2024. During the trial, a Secret Service agent assigned to Trump's protection testified that he spotted Routh before Trump even came into view.
When Routh pointed his rifle at the agent, the agent fired, prompting Routh to drop the weapon and flee the scene without firing a shot.
In a court motion requesting legal representation, Routh made a series of unusual statements, offering to trade his own life in a prisoner exchange for people he claimed were unjustly detained overseas. He also wrote that Trump could still "take out his frustrations on my face."
"Just a quarter of an inch further back and we all would not have to deal with all of this mess forwards, but I always fail at everything (par for the course)," Routh wrote.
Routh's former federal public defenders acted as standby counsel and were in the courtroom throughout the trial. He had a lengthy criminal record, including multiple felony convictions such as possession of stolen property, and maintained a significant online presence that showed his deep hostility toward Trump.
