The Assassination Attempt (Ryan Routh Trial)

Ryan Ruth, a 59-year-old building contractor from North Carolina, was convicted in 2025 of attempting to assassinate then-candidate Donald Trump at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. The trial, which unfolded in a Florida federal courtroom, quickly devolved into chaos when Ruth chose to represent himself—despite having no legal training—delivering rambling, philosophical opening and closing arguments that veered far from the facts. Prosecutors presented a meticulously detailed case: Ruth had spent months surveilling Trump, using burner phones, stolen license plates, and encrypted messaging to plan the attack. He purchased a military-grade SKS rifle illegally as a convicted felon, scouted the golf course at 2 a.m. for hours, and was caught by Secret Service agent Robert Furcano, who saw the rifle barrel pointed directly at his face. Furcano’s quick response—firing his weapon and alerting others—prevented a tragedy. A mental health counselor, Tommy McGee, also played a key role by chasing the fleeing suspect and capturing license plate footage. Despite Ruth’s claims of nonviolence and intent to only dream of assassination, prosecutors emphasized his written threats, financial capacity to pay $150,000 for a hit, and post-arrest rap song glorifying the act. After a two-hour jury deliberation, Ruth was found guilty on five federal charges.