Ryan Routh Sentenced to Life in Prison for Attempting to Kill Donald Trump
Ryan Routh Gets Life In Prison For Trying To Kill Donald Trump
Published
Ryan Routh has been sentenced to life in prison ... months after he was found guilty of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump.
U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon handed down Routh's sentence, which includes an additional seven years for a firearm offense, at a Fort Pierce, Florida courtroom on Wednesday, NBC News reports.
Prosecutors called Routh "totally unrepentant" for his crimes in a sentencing memorandum, adding ... "the heinous nature of this assassination attempt -- his selfish, violent decision to prevent the American voters from electing President Trump by killing him first -- that warrants severe criminal punishment."
FYI ... Routh was arrested after he tried to kill Trump at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach in September 2024, two months after a previous attempt on the presidential candidate's life in Butler, Pennsylvania. Authorities said Routh brought a weapon -- identified as an SKS-style rifle -- as well as two backpacks and a GoPro camera to the golf course.
The attempt was foiled after a Secret Service agent noticed the barrel of the gun poking through a fence and shrubbery and fired a shot at Routh. Trump was reportedly about 400 yards from the scene on the course.
Routh fled in an SUV parked nearby ... he was apprehended by authorities later in the day about 50 miles from the club.
Routh left a letter with an admission of guilt at a residence near Trump's Mar-A-Lago resort, which partially read ... "This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I failed you. I tried my best and gave it all the gumption I could muster. It is up to you now to finish the job; and I will offer $150,000 to whomever can complete the job."
Routh represented himself during his trial, and he was found guilty on several felony counts, including attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate and assaulting a federal officer, in September 2025. Routh tried to stab himself in the neck with a pen in court when his verdict was read.
A court-appointed attorney represented him in the sentencing phase. It's unclear where Routh will serve his time.
