SAEDNEWS: Ryan Routh, 59, has been found guilty of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump at his Florida golf club. The Secret Service spotted him before he fired a shot — prosecutors say Trump would likely be dead if they hadn’t intervened.
Last September, Donald Trump was playing golf in West Palm Beach when a Secret Service agent spotted something unusual in the bushes. It wasn’t a stray animal or a fan sneaking a peek — it was Ryan Routh, 59, with a rifle pointed through a fence directly at Trump.
This week, after a dramatic 12-day trial, a jury found Routh guilty of attempted assassination of the president, along with four other charges including weapons violations and obstructing a federal agent. He now faces up to life in prison.
The case has shocked Americans — not just because of the danger Trump faced, but because of how carefully planned (and terrifyingly close to success) the plot was.
Prosecutors revealed that Routh traveled to South Florida weeks before the incident. He stayed at a truck stop, used fake names, and carried six mobile phones to avoid detection.
On September 15, 2024, he spent nearly 10 hours hidden in thick bushes overlooking the sixth hole at Trump International Golf Club. He had with him:
A semiautomatic rifle
Two bags of metal plates used in body armor
A small video camera pointed at the course
When Trump reached the fifth hole, just a few hundred yards away, the Secret Service spotted Routh before he could fire. Shots were exchanged, but Routh fled. He was caught later that day on a Florida highway.
“This was a carefully crafted and deadly serious plot,” prosecutor John Shipley told jurors. “Without the agent’s intervention, Donald Trump would not be alive.”
The trial, held in Fort Pierce, Florida, was dramatic from the start. Jurors heard about Routh’s obsession with tracking Trump’s schedule and his alleged preparations for weeks beforehand.
At the verdict, things got even wilder. Routh reportedly tried to stab himself with a pen multiple times in court before being restrained by U.S. Marshals. His daughter Sara shouted that her father “never hurt anyone” and promised to get him out of prison.
But the jury wasn’t swayed. They convicted him on all counts.
Trump, who has already survived two assassination attempts during his 2024 presidential campaign (one of which grazed his ear), called Routh “an evil man with an evil intention” on Truth Social.
For Trump’s supporters, the guilty verdict is another example of what they see as a rising tide of political violence targeting conservative figures.
Attorney General Pam Bondi echoed that in a statement:
“Today’s guilty verdict illustrates the Department of Justice’s commitment to punishing political violence. This was not only an attack on our President, but an affront to our nation itself.”
The trial came just months after the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, which already had the U.S. debating the dangers of rising political violence.
Experts say Routh’s case only adds to the urgency.
“If the Secret Service hadn’t spotted him, Trump could have been killed on the spot,” said one legal analyst. “That’s a chilling reminder of how fragile political security has become in America.”
Who exactly is Ryan Routh?
Prosecutors painted him as a man who became obsessed with Trump, willing to spend weeks hiding in plain sight just for the chance to take a shot.
They alleged he meticulously tracked Trump’s movements, waited patiently for hours, and carried equipment designed for a long, deadly confrontation.
While no clear political motive was outlined in court, prosecutors made one thing clear: this was not a random act. It was planned, deliberate, and chilling.
Routh will be sentenced later this year and could spend the rest of his life behind bars. His legal team has not yet announced an appeal, but given his dramatic courtroom breakdown, some experts believe a mental health evaluation may be requested.
Meanwhile, the Secret Service is once again facing questions about how close a would-be assassin got to Trump. Could security have been tighter? Should Trump’s public appearances be further limited?
One thing is certain: this trial won’t be the last time we hear about the dangers of political violence in America.
Ryan Routh’s guilty verdict is more than just a courtroom story. It’s a reminder that the U.S. is grappling with a dangerous wave of politically motivated attacks — and that even former presidents aren’t safe.
As Trump himself put it: “This was an evil man with an evil intention. And they caught him.”
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