Key Takeaways
- Overwhelming Evidence: Prosecutors tied Ryan Routh to 17 reconnaissance trips, a loaded rifle, forensic DNA, and surveillance footage linking him directly to the assassination attempt.
- Courtroom Chaos: After the guilty verdict, Routh reportedly tried to stab himself with a pen while his daughter lashed out, calling the trial “rigged.”
- Justice for Trump: The conviction proves the system still works — delivering accountability for a politically motivated attack and reinforcing that threats to democracy will not go unpunished.
Justice was delivered in a Florida courtroom Tuesday as jurors returned a guilty verdict on all counts against Ryan Routh, the 59-year-old man who attempted to assassinate then-presidential candidate Donald Trump at his West Palm Beach golf club last September.
The verdict followed nearly three weeks of testimony and a mountain of evidence that left little room for doubt. Prosecutors detailed Routh’s 17 reconnaissance trips to Trump’s golf course, his digital trail of surveillance, and the SKS rifle he purchased, loaded with 19 rounds, one chambered. Forensic experts tied his fingerprints to the rifle scope, his DNA to gloves and gear, and surveillance cameras placed him at the scene.
“This was not a publicity stunt,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Browne told jurors. “The evidence has shown one thing and one thing only — the defendant wanted Donald Trump dead.”
Routh’s meltdown after the verdict underscored his obsession. He reportedly tried to stab himself in the neck with a pen before being restrained by U.S. Marshals. His daughter lashed out in court, shouting expletives and accusing the jury of rigging the process.
The guilty verdict carries a maximum life sentence, and it’s no surprise given the overwhelming case presented by federal prosecutors. Thirty-eight witnesses testified, including experts who walked jurors through bank records, surveillance footage, and testimony on “sniper tradecraft” Routh allegedly used to set up his hideout near the 6th hole of Trump’s course.
The trial was a reminder of the stakes facing America in a volatile political climate. Yet it also proved something bigger: no matter the chaos, the system still works. Justice was served, and President Trump — once again targeted by the radical fringe — stands as proof that no amount of hate can silence the American people’s choice.