Trump's Would-be Assassin Ryan Routh Sentenced to Life in Prison for 'Trying to Kill the President' — After He Apologized for the Failed Attempt
Ryan Routh was sentenced to life in prison after his failed assassination attempt of Donald Trump.
Feb. 4 2026, Published 1:46 p.m. ET
Ryan Routh, the man convicted of trying to assassinate President Donald Trump during a 2024 incident at a Florida golf course, will spend the rest of his life in prison, RadarOnline.com can report.
Trump's would-be assassin was previously found guilty of lying in wait along a West Palm Beach golf course in 2024 for then-candidate Trump to arrive at the sixth hole.
Routh's Flimsy Defense Excuse
Routh was caught on a golf course before he could act.
Routh unsuccessfully served as his own attorney in his case, with little success in convincing the panel that he didn't commit a crime, since he never actually shot at Trump.
Prosecutors at the trial insisted the 59-year-old deserved life without parole, while Routh tried to use his age and lack of criminal record to score some sympathy with the sentencing judge.
However, he was found guilty of attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, as well as assaulting the Secret Service agent who discovered him in the shrubbery near the fence line along the course on September 15, 2024.
He was also convicted of three federal gun charges after being found with an SKS-style rifle, for which he was given an additional seven years.
Routh Offered a 'Reward' for 'Whoever Can Complete the Job'
He was lying in wait with a rifle along the sixth hole at Trump International.
Routh showed little regret for his plan. At an earlier court hearing, law enforcement claimed a witness had provided letters allegedly written by Routh, including one addressed to 'The World'.
That note read: "This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump, but I failed you. I tried my best and gave it all the gumption I could muster.
"It is up to you now to finish the job, and I will offer $150,000 to whoever can complete the job."
Routh Lashed Out at American Citizens
He wrote in a letter 'This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I am so sorry I failed you.'
Routh also took his aggression out on his fellow voters, likening Trump's 2024 election campaign to a "coup" and expressing fears over a potential civil war and foreign troops hunting Americans on U.S. soil.
In a scathing letter, he accused Americans of being "uneducated morons" and "whining babies."
He also blasted that lives now hang in the balance after his dramatic arrest.
"Human rights, freedom, and democracy should always be at the top of everyone's list of primary concerns, and hopefully one that the majority of Americans are willing to fight and die for," Routh wrote in the letter that Radar obtained.
He added: "I am certainly prepared and willing to die for those principles."
Prosecutors Faced Little Challenge
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Prosecutors said Routh helped make their case for them.
At his trial, prosecutors were able to lay out how Routh planned out his assassination attempt, visiting the golf course numerous times while plotting out his vision. Cell phone data placed him in the club's vicinity, where he spent 16 hours one day, starting at 4 a.m.
During the closing arguments, federal prosecutor Christopher Browne told jurors that Routh had been planning the attack on Trump "for a long, long time."
Browne brought up Routh's many rantings and letters, which he said only proved his case.
"It is not every case where the defendant writes his intent down on a piece of paper," Browne noted.
