Left: Donald Trump playing golf at Turnberry golf course during his visit to the UK in May 2023. 71992040 (Press Association via AP Images). Right: Ryan Routh speaks about what he was doing in Ukraine (Newsweek Romania).
Convicted of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump at one of his golf courses, Ryan Routh remains steadfast in his lack of remorse as the Justice Department seeks to impose the maximum life sentence, federal prosecutors reveal.
Despite acknowledging his conviction, Routh, 59, contends in a recent sentencing variance request that the jury was misled during the trial. He argues that his defense was hampered by his inability to challenge witnesses effectively or present evidence to demonstrate he never intended harm. However, in a January 16 sentencing memo, the DOJ underscores that Routh has not apologized, reinforcing their call for a life sentence for his 2024 assassination attempt.
The federal government emphasizes, “While citizens have numerous peaceful means to express dissent against a Presidential candidate, murder is unequivocally not one of them.” They argue that Routh’s actions merit life imprisonment due to his calculated efforts to assassinate a leading Presidential candidate, his willingness to harm others in pursuit of this goal, and his ongoing lack of remorse. His plea for a reduced sentence is dismissed as unfounded.
Routh faced charges for attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer, and various firearm offenses related to his plot. Prosecutors alleged that he planned to target Trump at a West Palm Beach golf course by setting up a sniper’s position.
The government’s memo starkly states, “Routh’s cold-blooded attempt to murder President Trump also endangered a courageous Secret Service agent and anyone else in the line of fire.” The court found Routh guilty on all charges, rejecting his motion for acquittal during the trial and noting that no subsequent motion was filed.
Prosecutors assert that evidence presented at trial proved Routh’s intent was to deny American voters the chance to consider Trump in the November 2024 election, aiming to forcefully alter the nation’s future. They emphasize that his plans were methodically devised over months, not spontaneous actions at the golf course.
“The United States proved that in late March 2024, Routh traveled from North Carolina to the West Palm Beach area to pursue President Trump,” the DOJ memo explains. “Routh set up his sniper hide in the predawn hours, in preparation for President Trump playing golf that day.”
Routh’s crimes, according to prosecutors, reflect “careful plotting, extensive premeditation, and a cowardly disregard for human life” that ultimately warrants a life sentence. Not showing remorse also plays a role in why he should die behind bars, the DOJ says.
“Routh remains unrepentant for his crimes, never apologized for the lives he put at risk and his life demonstrates near-total disregard for law,” the memo concludes.
Routh, meanwhile, has asked for leniency due to his age and other factors.
“Defendant denies he acted with the intent to kill a presidential candidate,” his filing says. “The defendant is two weeks short of being 60-years-old. A just punishment would provide a sentence long enough to impose sufficient but not excessive punishment, and to allow defendant to experience freedom again as opposed to dying in prison.”
Routh, who represented himself at his trial, believes a term of 20 years — followed by a required seven-year mandatory sentence — would be “sufficient to meet the need for punishment, provide the defendant with correctional treatment and provide for mental health treatment in a custodial setting,” according to his filing.
“Defendant would be in custody into his eighties and would not pose any threat to cause harm to the public,” the filing says.
Routh’s daughter came forward in September 2025 after his conviction and called out U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon and the justice system about his trial, calling the case against him “bulls—” and blasting Cannon for being an “obviously biased” Trump appointee.
“She let Trump off on his charges last year,” Sara Routh told Miami station WPLG.
“She should have recused herself from the beginning,” Sara Routh said.
Sara Routh pointed to Cannon’s dismissal of Trump’s classified documents case last year as proof of the legal cards being stacked against her father. It’s not the first time Cannon has been accused of demonstrating “bias,” with similar accusations coming after the Mar-a-Lago case dismissal.
“Obviously biased, anybody knows that,” Sara Routh lambasted.
It took jurors just two hours to find Routh guilty, according to reports.
