Ryan Routh, the man who attempted to assassinate Donald Trump, was sentenced on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, to life in prison plus 84 months by order of federal judge Aileen Cannon, the U.S. District Court in Fort Pierce, Florida, announced.
Routh was found guilty of attempting to assassinate the then-Republican presidential candidate during an attack at a golf course in Florida in 2024, a case that shocked the public in the midst of the campaign for the White House.
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Ryan Routh refused to accept responsibility for the attack on Trump
The sentencing hearing was originally scheduled for December 2025, but it was postponed after Routh decided to hire an attorney for the final phase of the proceedings, having represented himself for much of the trial.
In a memorandum filed with the Court, federal prosecutors noted that Ryan Routh never accepted responsibility for his actions, and therefore requested the maximum sentence under the federal sentencing guidelines, which provide for life imprisonment for offenses of this magnitude.
Chaos in the courtroom: Routh tried to stab himself during the verdict
Last September, the judicial process reached a tense moment when, after being found guilty on all counts, including attempted murder of a presidential candidate and firearms-related offenses, Routh tried to stab himself in the neck with a pen inside the courtroom.
The defendant was forcibly removed by federal agents, which forced a temporary suspension of the session.
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What was the defendant’s defense asking for?
Defense attorney Martin L. Roth asked Judge Aileen Cannon for a reduced sentence, proposing 20 years in prison in addition to a mandatory seven-year sentence on weapons-related charges.
“The defendant is two weeks away from turning 60. A fair punishment should be severe but not excessive, and should allow him to regain his freedom at some point, rather than die in prison”, the defense attorney argued in a court filing.
Routh even offered to exchange his life in a prisoner swap for people unjustly detained in other countries and stated that his proposal for Trump to “take out his frustrations on my face” remained valid, according to court documents.
