Ryan Routh, the man convicted of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump during the 2024 U.S. presidential campaign, has been sentenced to life imprisonment by a federal court.
The United States Secret Service arrested Routh in September 2024 at Trump’s golf course in Florida. Investigators said he was armed with a semi-automatic rifle and allegedly lay in wait to shoot Trump at the time of his arrest.
Routh’s arrest marked the second assassination attempt on Trump during the 2024 election cycle. Weeks earlier, Trump narrowly avoided injury when shots were fired during an open-air campaign event in Butler.
Security officials later described the incidents as among the most serious threats faced by a presidential candidate in recent history.
Federal prosecutors urged the court to impose the maximum sentence. They said Routh showed no remorse and placed multiple lives at risk.
🚨 BREAKING: Ryan Routh sentenced to life in prison, plus 7 years, for attempting to assassinate Trump at Florida golf course pic.twitter.com/TTGCLed0q4
— Fox News (@FoxNews) February 4, 2026“Routh remains unrepentant for his crimes,” prosecutors told the court. “His conduct demonstrates a near-total disregard for the law.”
U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon presided over the case and formally announced the life sentence on February 4, 2026.
According to John Budensiek, Routh attempted to portray himself as innocent during sentencing. The judge rejected that claim. “The evil is in you, Mr Routh,” Judge Cannon reportedly told him. “The evil is in you.”
The White House did not immediately comment on the ruling. President Trump has not yet issued a public response to the sentence.
Authorities said the life term reflects the gravity of the crime and the ongoing risks posed by political violence in the United States.
