A federal judge has sentenced Ryan Wesley Routh to life in jail for his attempted assassination of former US President Donald Trump during the 2024 campaign.
Routh, a 59-year-old man, was convicted in September of 2025 on several charges, including attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer, and weapons offenses, after he was found hiding with a gun on a golf course in Florida. This is where the US President was also playing.
US District Judge Aileen M. Cannon in Fort Pierce, Florida, imposed the maximum sentence, which is life in prison plus an additional seven years for related gun charges.
This concluded that Routh's plot, prepared over months, was a major threat to democratic processes and public safety.
Prosecutors highlighted his meticulous planning and lack of remorse as the main reasons for the harsh sentence.
Meanwhile, the defense side had argued that due to his age and mental health condition, the sentence should be reduced.