The trial of Ryan Routh, accused of attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump at his Palm Beach golf course in September 2024, began with opening statements on Thursday in Fort Pierce, Florida.
Routh, 59, faces five federal charges, including attempted assassination, with a potential life sentence.
The case, unfolding amid a surge in U.S. political violence, revisits a chilling incident that occurred during the final months of the 2024 presidential campaign.
Routh, a former roofing contractor with no legal background, is defending himself after dismissing his attorneys.
In a July letter to U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, he stated, "I will be representing myself moving forward; It was ridiculous from the outset to consider a random stranger that knows nothing of who I am to speak for me."
His self-representation has complicated proceedings, particularly during jury selection, where Cannon rejected several of Routh’s proposed questions — on topics like Ukraine, and Trump’s Greenland acquisition plan — as overly political.
A jury of seven women and five men will hear evidence following opening statements.
Prosecutors allege Routh meticulously planned the attack, purchasing a military-grade rifle, researching Trump’s movements, and using multiple burner phones.
On September 15, 2024, he allegedly hid near the sixth hole of Trump International Golf Club, armed and within a few hundred yards of Trump, before a Secret Service agent spotted his rifle and opened fire, prompting Routh to flee.
He was arrested later that day on a Florida highway.
The incident, one of two assassination attempts on Trump during his 2024 campaign, underscores a broader wave of political violence in the U.S., including the recent killing of activist Charlie Kirk and the 2021 Capitol assault.
Routh plans to argue his peaceful character, calling his son and friends as witnesses, though Cannon has barred claims of justification or First Amendment protections.