FORT PIERCE, Fla. — In a federal courtroom thick with tension and spectacle, the trial of Ryan Routh—the man accused of attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump—has entered its second week, marking a year since the dramatic events that nearly changed the course of American politics. Routh, 59, stands accused of plotting for weeks before allegedly aiming a rifle at Trump as he played golf at his West Palm Beach country club on September 15, 2024. The trial, which resumed on Monday, September 15, 2025, has already delivered a parade of law enforcement testimony, a bizarre self-defense, and reminders of the deep divides and anxieties that continue to shape the nation’s political landscape.
According to Fox News, prosecutors wasted no time in laying out their case. They opened by reading Routh’s own words—statements like “Trump cannot be elected” and “I need Trump to go away”—to argue that the defendant had plotted for months, traveling from Hawaii and ultimately positioning himself at Trump International Golf Club with a chambered rifle ready to fire. The prosecution called 13 witnesses in just two days, most of them FBI and Secret Service agents, to walk jurors through the meticulous investigation and security response to what could have been a national tragedy.
The scene that September morning was chilling. As recounted by NewsNation and The Palm Beach Post, a Secret Service agent spotted the barrel of a rifle poking through the fence near the sixth hole of the golf course. The agent opened fire, prompting the alleged gunman to drop his weapon and flee. Authorities later found Routh hidden in shrubbery with a semiautomatic SKS rifle, extra ammunition, metal ballistic plates, and even cans of Vienna sausages—details that have become almost surreal in their specificity. No explosives were found after a thorough sweep, but the sense of danger was palpable.
Routh’s arrest came swiftly. He sped away in a black Nissan Xterra, only to be intercepted by law enforcement on Interstate 95 in Martin County, about 41 miles from the golf course. FBI Special Agent Cindy Barrois described the vehicle as unorganized, “like someone was living in it,” with cartridge casings, multiple cellphones, license plates, and assorted clothing found inside. Among the evidence collected were a handwritten list of Trump’s scheduled campaign venues and a cellphone containing a Google search for “how to travel from Palm Beach County to Mexico.”
Photos presented to the jury linked Routh’s clothing to the scene—pants with a red stain that prosecutors compared to red paint on a bag recovered from nearby brush. As The Palm Beach Post reported, a bomb squad and FBI agents described the so-called sniper’s nest: backpacks clipped to a fence, a camera zip-tied in place, and those now-infamous Vienna sausages scattered on the ground. One FBI agent presented a 3D computer model showing just how close the sniper’s nest was—about 125 feet from the sixth hole where Trump was playing.
The trial itself has been anything but ordinary. Routh, having fired his lawyers, is representing himself—a decision approved by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee, though standby counsel remains available. Routh’s opening statement, which lasted about seven minutes before being cut short by Judge Cannon, veered into rambling territory, touching on Adolf Hitler, the Wright brothers, and even declaring to the jury, “This case means absolutely nothing. A life has been lived to the fullest.” The judge ultimately intervened, redirecting the proceedings back to the matter at hand.
Witness testimony has ranged from the harrowing to the peculiar. A Secret Service agent testified that Routh smiled at him while pointing a rifle “directly at my face.” A civilian witness, therapist Tommy McGee, recounted hearing gunshots and seeing Routh flee the scene, later providing law enforcement with the suspect’s license plate number. “You’re the man,” Routh told McGee during cross-examination—a line that, like many of Routh’s questions, drew immediate objections from prosecutors.
The defendant’s cross-examinations have often been brief and, at times, bizarre. He has asked witnesses questions such as “Is it good to be alive?” and quizzed them on AK-47 mechanics, prompting further warnings from Judge Cannon to keep his inquiries within the court’s rulings. Routh has also made several unusual requests during the proceedings, including asking for strippers in his jail cell, suggesting a fistfight with Trump in lieu of a trial, and proposing to call a former sexual partner as a character witness to testify about his “gentle nature.”
Prosecutors allege Routh spent months preparing for the attack, hiding in the tree line with his rifle until the Secret Service agent’s quick response thwarted his plan. If convicted of attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, Routh faces a potential life sentence. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges, which also include assaulting a federal officer and multiple firearm violations.
The trial is expected to continue daily until at least 5:30 p.m., with more FBI and law enforcement witnesses scheduled to testify. Routh has indicated plans to call a firearms expert and several character witnesses, though he has not yet said if he will take the stand himself. The original timeline for the trial was set at two or three weeks, but observers note that Routh’s brief cross-examinations could shorten that estimate.
The political context surrounding the case is impossible to ignore. As USA TODAY highlighted, this was the second apparent assassination attempt on Trump’s life in 2024, following a shooting at a Pennsylvania rally that grazed Trump’s ear and left one spectator dead. The current trial unfolds against a backdrop of heightened political violence and polarization, with debates about security and the nature of public discourse reaching a fever pitch.
Routh’s background has also come under scrutiny. Voting records show he participated in both Democratic and general elections over the years, most recently casting a ballot in North Carolina’s March 2024 primary. Social media posts suggest he was a passionate supporter of Ukraine, even claiming to have traveled to fight on behalf of the country in 2022. Whether these details will factor into the defense remains to be seen, but they add layers of complexity to an already extraordinary case.
As the trial continues, the nation watches closely, reminded of the fragility of its democratic institutions and the unpredictable nature of those who would seek to disrupt them. The outcome will likely reverberate far beyond the courtroom, shaping conversations about security, political violence, and the enduring challenges of safeguarding public figures in a contentious era.
For now, all eyes remain on Fort Pierce, where the search for answers—and justice—unfolds one witness at a time.
