Man who tried to assassinate Trump gets maximum sentence

The man who tried to kill President Donald Trump outside his Florida golf course just before the 2024 election was given the maximum sentence on Wednesday.

Ryan Routh was spotted outside the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach on September 15, 2024, by a Secret Service agent who opened fire and caused Routh to flee. He was later arrested and was found to be in possession of an SKS assault rifle.

'The trial was meticulously handled, and I would like to thank the Judge and Jury for their time, professionalism, and patience.'

On Wednesday, the 59-year-old was sentenced to life in prison by United States District Judge Aileen Cannon, the same judge who dismissed the president's classified documents case.

A shocking scene unfolded in September 2025 during the reading of the verdict against Routh, when he grabbed a pencil and stabbed himself in the neck. Four U.S. marshals dragged him out of the court and later brought him back in with his waist and ankles shackled.

He was convicted of trying to assassinate a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer, and a number of gun charges by a jury that deliberated for only three hours.

Prosecutors asked for the maximum sentence of life in prison, but Routh's defense attorney requested 27 years in prison after citing Routh's age and his mental health status.

"Ryan Routh's attempted assassination of President Trump was a disgusting act — mere weeks before an election and only months after a separate assassination attempt came dangerously close to succeeding," FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement after Routh was found guilty.

RELATED: Would-be Trump assassin Ryan Routh tries to stab himself after guilty verdict

Trump also responded to the verdict on social media.

"The trial was meticulously handled, and I would like to thank the Judge and Jury for their time, professionalism, and patience. This was an evil man with an evil intention, and they caught him," he wrote.

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