Courts

DOJ Seeks Life Sentence for Trump’s Would-Be Assassin

The Justice Department said in its latest filing Friday that Ryan Routh’s crimes ‘undeniably warrant a life sentence.’
DOJ Seeks Life Sentence for Trump’s Would-Be Assassin
Ryan Routh was arrested on suspicion of attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Sept. 15, 2024. Martin County Sheriff's Office via CNN
Troy Myers
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The U.S. Department of Justice is requesting a life sentence for a man found guilty of attempting to kill President Donald Trump, according to newly filed court documents Friday.

A jury found Ryan Routh, who in September 2024 hid in a tree line with a semiautomatic rifle at Trump’s golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, guilty on all five of his charges after about two hours of deliberations on Sept. 23, 2025. The DOJ said in its latest filing that the man’s crimes “undeniably warrant a life sentence.”

Troy Myers
Troy Myers
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Troy Myers is a regional reporter based in St. Augustine, Florida. His background includes breaking, criminal justice, and investigative writing for local news, producing on a national morning newscast in Washington, D.C., and working with an award-winning, weekly investigative news program. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his dog at the beach.