In a landmark ruling against political violence, U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon has sentenced 59-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh to life plus 84 months in federal prison. The sentencing follows Routh’s conviction on all five counts related to his September 2024 attempt to assassinate Donald Trump at a West Palm Beach golf course.
Judge Cannon, during the hearing in Fort Pierce, described Routh’s actions as a “premeditated, calculated plot to take a human life” and a “direct assault against our entire democratic system.” The sentence, which includes life without the possibility of parole, ensures that Routh, who had expressed no remorse and even attempted to harm himself with a pen when the verdict was first read in September 2025, will never walk free again.
Federal prosecutors detailed a meticulous month-long operation where Routh traveled from North Carolina to South Florida, scouted Trump’s movements using six different cell phones, and lay in wait in the bushes for nearly ten hours. He was apprehended by the Secret Service before he could fire a shot, leaving behind a scoped rifle and body armor.
“This life sentence reflects a fundamental truth: political violence is un-American and will never be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones. The sentencing comes at a time of heightened political tension and follows the recent finalization of a federal budget that has prioritized national security funding.
The conclusion of this high-stakes trial serves as a powerful affirmation of the U.S. judicial system’s zero-tolerance policy toward using force to influence democratic outcomes. President Trump lauded the verdict on social media, calling the defendant an “evil man with an evil intention.”
