On a humid September morning in Fort Pierce, Florida, a tense courtroom drama unfolded, gripping the nation’s attention. Ryan Routh, a 59-year-old construction worker with no legal background, stood trial for what prosecutors allege was a meticulously planned attempt to assassinate former President Donald Trump at his West Palm Beach golf course last year. The trial, presided over by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, has already revealed a swirl of intrigue, bizarre courtroom exchanges, and chilling moments that could have altered the course of American history.
The case centers on the events of September 15, 2024, when Trump, then the Republican presidential nominee, was enjoying a round of golf. According to testimony from Secret Service agent Robert Fercano, he was serving as a site agent that day, methodically checking the course for threats as Trump played through. As Fercano approached the sixth hole, something caught his eye: an unusual movement at the tree line. "I encountered what appeared to be the face of an individual," Fercano told the jury, as reported by ABC News. Attempting to keep the situation calm, he called out, "Hey."
But what started as a routine day quickly escalated. Fercano described noticing a "black in nature" object protruding from the fence line just five feet away. It was then that he realized he was staring down the barrel of a Soviet-style AK-47. "The barrel of the AK was pointed directly at my face," Fercano recalled, his voice steady but grave. "I was in fear for President Trump's life." As a former Marine marksman, Fercano recognized the situation as a "textbook ambush scenario." He drew his service pistol, retreated, and fired in the last known direction of the threat.
Chaos erupted over the Secret Service radio. "Mogul on five green," Fercano announced, using Trump’s call sign. "Shots fired, shots fired, shots fired. Individual ... with a gun. AK-style weapon. The individual is inside the tree line. All units be advised that looked like an AK-47 style weapon." The drama was palpable, not just in the courtroom but on the airwaves that day.
Routh, meanwhile, fled the scene, leaving behind his rifle and body armor. He was later apprehended on a nearby interstate, thanks in part to a quick-thinking bystander. Tommy McGee, a mental health counselor, testified that he saw a "disheveled, unkempt, and frantic man" nearly collide with his car. After hearing gunshots, McGee snapped a photo of Routh and his vehicle, then helped police identify him. "He was trying his best to leave that scene as fast as he possibly could," McGee told the jury, according to ABC News. McGee’s testimony was so pivotal that Routh, representing himself, even praised him: "You're my hero. You're a good man."
The trial, which began with opening statements on September 11, 2025, has not been without its moments of courtroom theater. Routh, who chose to represent himself after dismissing his attorneys, delivered an opening statement that left Judge Cannon exasperated. According to CBS12, Routh launched into a philosophical monologue about prehistoric man, the nature of intent, and the human heart—a speech that meandered into references to Hitler and Putin, but failed to address the evidence. Judge Cannon twice sent the jury out and ultimately cut off Routh’s remaining time, warning him not to "make a mockery of the dignity of this courtroom."
Prosecutors, led by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Shipley, painted a picture of a "carefully crafted and deadly serious" plot. Routh, they allege, purchased a military-grade rifle with the help of two friends, amassed body armor, and obsessively tracked Trump’s movements—including lurking at Palm Beach International Airport as "Trump Force One" was on the runway. He used about a dozen burner phones, three aliases, and stolen license plates to cover his tracks, and lied to his family about his whereabouts while living out of his car at a gas station near the golf course. "Last year, the defendant Ryan Routh wanted to make sure the people of this country could not elect Donald Trump," Shipley told the jury. "The defendant decided to take the choice away from the American people."
Key evidence presented to the jury included Routh’s "gear list"—zip ties, metal armor plates, and even adult diapers, suggesting he intended to wait for hours in ambush. Fercano’s dramatic demonstration of how the rifle was positioned, as well as the frantic radio calls, brought the threat into sharp relief for jurors. According to the prosecution, were it not for Fercano’s actions and McGee’s intervention, Trump’s life would have been in grave danger. "If not for Agent Fercano's actions, Donald Trump would not be alive and the defendant's assassination plot would be successful," Shipley asserted.
The jury, seated after a rigorous selection process, comprises twelve jurors and four alternates—most of whom acknowledged prior awareness of the case, a rarity in federal trials. Several have family ties to law enforcement, a point Routh tried unsuccessfully to challenge. Judge Cannon, who previously presided over and dismissed one of Trump’s criminal cases, has had to keep tight control over the proceedings, especially as Routh attempts to inject political and philosophical arguments into his defense. She has barred him from arguing that his actions were justified or protected by the First Amendment, insisting the focus remain on intent and the facts at hand.
During cross-examinations, Routh has toggled between confrontational and oddly affable, at one point asking Fercano, "Is it good to be alive?" and later telling McGee, "Good work. You're an American hero. I celebrate your efforts." Yet his attempts to cast doubt on the prosecution’s case—suggesting, for example, that his rifle was not held in a threatening manner or that he lacked the intent to fire—have largely been rebuffed by witnesses and the judge alike.
The trial is expected to continue for several weeks, with prosecutors poised to call additional law enforcement witnesses. FBI Special Agent Dominick Healy and Special Agent Christopher Mayo have already testified about the chain of custody of Routh’s clothing and fingerprint evidence, further tightening the web of evidence around the accused.
As the proceedings move forward, the nation watches closely, aware that the outcome could have profound implications for the security of public figures and the integrity of the political process. For now, the focus remains on a Florida courtroom, where the line between intent and action, and the fate of a would-be assassin, hang in the balance.
