Would-be Trump assassin jailed for life

A US federal court has sentenced Ryan Wesley Routh to life imprisonment after he was found guilty of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump during the 2024 presidential campaign.

Routh was convicted by a federal jury on five charges, including attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, assault on a federal officer, and several firearms offences. The court handed down a sentence of life in prison plus an additional 84 months.

Prosecutors said Routh, aged 59, had been stalking Trump at his Florida golf resort while armed with a scoped semi-automatic rifle. He allegedly concealed himself in dense bushes outside the West Palm Beach property and positioned the weapon through a fence line. A Secret Service agent spotted the rifle and fired, forcing Routh to flee the area before Trump entered view. He was later arrested on a nearby highway.

During court proceedings, Routh at one stage represented himself and delivered erratic statements referencing global political figures and historical figures before the judge stopped him. After the guilty verdicts were delivered, he reportedly attempted to stab himself with a pen.

Authorities said Routh had previously shown an intense focus on the Ukraine conflict. Reports indicated he travelled to Ukraine and attempted to recruit foreign Afghans who had fled Taliban rule to support the Ukrainian cause. He had also publicly advocated for the assassination of Russian President Vladimir Putin and posted online stating he was willing to go to Ukraine to fight and die.

The incident occurred weeks after Trump was targeted in a separate assassination attempt during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a gunman fired shots, grazing Trump’s ear and killing one spectator before being shot dead by Secret Service personnel.