FORT PIERCE, Fla. — Jury selection begins Monday in the high-profile trial of Ryan Routh, the man accused of attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump while he played golf in South Florida last year.
The U.S. District Court in Fort Pierce has set aside four weeks for the trial, though attorneys anticipate it could conclude sooner. Jury selection is expected to take three days, with 180 potential jurors questioned in groups of 60. Twelve jurors and four alternates will ultimately be chosen.
Opening statements are scheduled for Thursday, after which prosecutors will begin presenting their case.
Judge Allows Self-Representation
U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon approved Routh’s request to represent himself but ordered that court-appointed attorneys remain as standby counsel. During a pretrial hearing, Cannon confirmed that Routh would appear in professional business attire and would be permitted to use a podium when addressing the jury. However, he will not have free rein of the courtroom.
The Alleged Assassination Attempt
Prosecutors say Routh, 59, spent weeks planning to kill Trump before the September 15, 2024, incident at Trump’s West Palm Beach golf club. According to officials, Routh positioned himself in nearby shrubbery with a rifle and aimed toward the course. A Secret Service agent spotted him before Trump entered his line of fire.
Routh allegedly turned the weapon on the agent, who returned fire, causing Routh to drop the rifle and flee. He was later arrested along an interstate after a witness identified him from a police helicopter.
Prosecutors have presented photos of Routh holding the same model of semi-automatic rifle that was recovered at the scene.
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Background on Ryan Routh
Routh, a former construction worker from North Carolina who later moved to Hawaii, has described himself as a mercenary leader. Witnesses told investigators he openly discussed inserting himself into global conflicts.
In 2022, during the early stages of the Ukraine war, Routh reportedly attempted to recruit fighters from Afghanistan, Moldova, and Taiwan. His criminal history includes a 2002 arrest in Greensboro, North Carolina, where he evaded police and barricaded himself with a machine gun and an explosive device later described as a “weapon of mass destruction.” He was also implicated in a 2010 warehouse search that uncovered more than 100 stolen items.
Despite these incidents, Routh previously avoided significant prison time, receiving probation or suspended sentences.
Federal and State Charges
Routh has pleaded not guilty to multiple federal charges, including attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer, and several firearms violations. He also faces separate state charges of terrorism and attempted murder.
The trial comes less than a year after Trump survived another assassination attempt in Pennsylvania, when a gunman fired multiple shots, one grazing Trump’s ear, before being killed by Secret Service agents.
