Man who tried to kill Trump on Florida golf course gets life sentence
In sentencing remarks, US District Judge Aileen Cannon said the seriousness and premeditation behind the offence warranted a life term, noting that he showed no remorse.
Ryan Routh has been sentenced to life in prison for attempting to assassinate US President Donald Trump during an incident at a golf course in Florida in September 2024, US authorities say.
He was convicted last year after prosecutors said he spent weeks planning the attack at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, when Mr Trump was still a presidential candidate.
Court papers and trial testimony said a US Secret Service agent spotted a rifle barrel protruding from bushes and fired, prompting Routh to flee before he was arrested nearby. Investigators later recovered a rifle and other items from the area where he had been hiding.
In sentencing remarks, US District Judge Aileen Cannon said the seriousness and premeditation behind the offence warranted a life term, noting that he showed no remorse.
Routh’s lawyer said an appeal would be filed.
The Florida incident was one of two attempts on Mr Trump’s life during the 2024 campaign. In July 2024, a gunman opened fire at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, killing one attendee and injuring others, including Mr Trump, before being shot dead at the scene.
