Jury Convicts Ryan Routh in Attempted Assassination of President Trump (West Palm Beach, FL) A federal jury on Tuesday convicted 59-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh of Hawaii for attempting to assassinate President Donald J. Trump at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, while Trump was a major presidential candidate at the time. Routh also was found guilty of assaulting a federal law enforcement officer.
The attempted attack involved a sniper-style setup near the golf course, according to court records. A U.S. Secret Service agent spotted Routh aiming an AK-style rifle at the president and fired in response. Routh fled the scene and was later apprehended in a black Nissan Xterra. Investigators discovered multiple firearms, ammunition, steel armor plates, and a camera aimed at the golf course.
Authorities said Routh had planned the attack in advance. Cellphone records placed him near Trump International and Mar-a-Lago multiple times leading up to the incident, and a handwritten letter recovered from a witness confessed his intent to assassinate Trump.
“This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I am so sorry I failed you,” the note reportedly read.
Officials praised the coordinated response of law enforcement agencies. “Today’s guilty verdict illustrates the Department of Justice’s commitment to punishing those who engage in political violence,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. FBI Director Kash Patel called the attempt “a disgusting act” and emphasized the agency’s ongoing work to protect public officials.
Routh faces multiple federal charges, including attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Sentencing will be determined by a federal judge, with potential penalties including life imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the FBI, the U.S. Secret Service, ATF, and local law enforcement, and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida and the Justice Department’s National Security Division.
The conviction comes amid heightened concerns about politically motivated violence in the United States and underscores federal efforts to protect public officials and the democratic process.
Jury Convicts Ryan Routh in Attempted Assassination of President Trump
