The individual accused of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump in Florida the previous year has been prohibited by a federal judge from accessing classified information pertinent to the case.
Judge Aileen Cannon mentioned in a ruling on Friday that “the United States has made a sufficient showing that the information at issue was classified” and that revealing it “could cause serious damage or exceptionally grave damages to the national security of the United States.”
“The Court finds that the United States properly invoked the provisions of [the] Classified Information Procedures Act and its classified information privilege as to the information referenced in the classified order,” she stated while approving a motion submitted by federal prosecutors.
Routh, aged 59, has recently been permitted to represent himself in his forthcoming trial. He is facing charges of attempting to assassinate Trump, assaulting a federal officer, and multiple firearms violations related to the September 15, 2024 incident in Florida, marking the second assassination attempt on Trump within a few months. Routh has entered a plea of not guilty.
Ryan Routh during his court appearance on Thursday, July 24. (Lothar Speer)
“I had hoped for a prisoner swap with Hamas, Iran… or China for Jimmy Lai or one of the 40 others, or to freeze to death in Siberia in exchange for a Ukrainian soldier… so I could die being of some use and save all this court mess.”
He then sarcastically added that the judge could send him away, which would give Trump a symbolic win.
“Perhaps you [Judge Cannon] have the power to trade me away… An easy diplomatic victory for Trump to give an American he hates to China, Iran, or North Korea… everyone wins.”
A letter allegedly written by Trump assassination suspect Ryan Routh was revealed in a Department of Justice detention memo on Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (Martin County Sheriff’s Office/Handout via REUTERS | Department of Justice)
Cannon is the same judge that was presiding over Trump’s classified documents case, which she dismissed in July 2024. That case dealt with the FBI’s investigation into Trump and its raid on his Mar-a-Lago estate in 2022.
