Man Who Tried to Kill Donald Trump Gets Life Sentence

A US federal court has sentenced Ryan Routh to life imprisonment for attempting to assassinate US President Donald Trump during the 2024 election campaign, according to a report by CNN.

The sentencing was pronounced on Wednesday (local time) by US District Judge Aileen Cannon, who described Routh’s actions as “deliberate and evil,” noting that he had shown clear intent to kill and came dangerously close to carrying out the attack.

Routh was convicted in September on five charges, including attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate.

Prosecutors said he had set up a sniper position near Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida, while Trump was campaigning for the presidency. The plot was foiled after a US Secret Service agent spotted the rifle barrel and Routh’s face through a perimeter fence and opened fire, forcing him to flee.

Along with the life sentence, the court imposed several concurrent prison terms, including seven years for using a firearm during a violent crime, 20 years for assaulting a federal officer, 18 months for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, and five years for carrying a weapon with an obliterated serial number.

During the hearing, prosecutors argued that Routh showed no remorse and was prepared to harm anyone who stood in the way of his plan. They told the court that he had carefully studied the area, monitored Trump’s movements and waited for what he believed was the right moment to strike.

Investigators revealed that Routh had conducted surveillance of the golf course and Trump’s nearby Mar-a-Lago residence weeks before the incident. Evidence showed he used burner phones to track Trump’s rally schedules and monitor traffic cameras. Photos recovered from his makeshift sniper hideout showed Trump was just over 120 feet away at the time of the attempted attack.

Authorities also produced a handwritten note in which Routh admitted trying to kill Trump and even offered USD 150,000 to anyone willing to “finish the job,” though investigators said there was no proof he had access to such funds.

The attack attempt took place on September 15, 2024. Routh, armed with a Soviet-style rifle and wearing body armour, positioned himself along the golf course fence before being spotted by security. He was later arrested after a civilian noted his vehicle’s licence plate and alerted law enforcement. Further evidence showed he had searched for escape routes, including flights to Mexico.

Routh represented himself during parts of the trial and was repeatedly warned by the court for making irrelevant arguments. He claimed during closing statements that the assassination attempt “was never going to happen,” but the jury rejected his defence, returning a guilty verdict after about three hours of deliberation.

After the verdict was delivered, Routh attempted to harm himself inside the courtroom but was restrained by US Marshals.

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