Ryan Wesley Routh, the 59-year-old man accused of attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump at his West Palm Beach golf club in September 2024, has been granted permission by a federal judge to represent himself at his upcoming trial, a move that has drawn national attention for both its legal and personal drama. According to The Associated Press and The Palm Beach Post, U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon approved Routh’s request on September 4, 2025, allowing him to act as his own counsel while court-appointed attorneys remain available as standby counsel.
The trial, scheduled to begin with jury selection on September 8, 2025, in Fort Pierce, Florida, centers around a bizarre and violent episode that occurred nearly a year ago. Prosecutors allege that Routh, a self-styled mercenary leader and former construction worker from North Carolina who had recently relocated to Hawaii, spent weeks plotting to kill Trump. On September 15, 2024, as Trump played golf at his club, Routh allegedly positioned himself in shrubbery near the course with a rifle, waiting for an opportunity to strike.
Authorities say his plan was foiled when a Secret Service agent spotted him before Trump came into view. According to court filings and law enforcement reports cited by The Associated Press, Routh aimed his weapon at the agent, who responded by opening fire. Routh dropped his rifle and fled the scene without firing a shot, only to be detained shortly thereafter by officers—a moment captured on body cam footage released by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office.
Routh faces five federal felony counts: attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, possessing a firearm to carry out a violent crime, assaulting a federal officer, being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number. The charges stem directly from the alleged assassination plot at Trump International Golf Course, as well as Routh’s prior criminal history.
In the lead-up to his trial, Routh has made a series of highly unorthodox and provocative filings. On September 2, 2025, just days before the trial was set to begin, he filed a motion filled with unusual requests and inflammatory language. Among his demands: access to female strippers, a putting green, and a quiet room with amenities such as a phone, visitation, email, and a typewriter. But most notably, Routh challenged Trump to settle the case with an 18-hole golf match. As reported by The Palm Beach Post, Routh wrote, "A round of golf with the racist pig, he wins he can execute me, I win I get his job." He further referred to Trump as a "baboon" and a "dumb***" in his filings, objecting to the prosecution’s attempt to introduce new evidence close to the trial date, calling the timing "absurd."
Routh’s motion also suggested that if the prosecution insisted on presenting last-minute evidence, he would accept it in exchange for the ability to subpoena Trump as a witness. "If you would like to trade admitting the evidence for my subpoena of that baboon Donald J Trump, bring that idiot on; it is a deal," Routh wrote. If that arrangement was rejected, he demanded access to other individuals on his "recent subpoena list," and suggested that "a beatdown session" between him and Trump would be "more fun and entertaining for everyone." He added, "Give me shackles and cuffs and let the old fat man give it his worst. We must beat down crime in America. Carpet is red, isn’t it, no harm in blood."
The case has captivated the public not only because of the gravity of the charges, but also due to Routh’s colorful and at times disturbing personal history. According to The Associated Press, Routh has long described himself as a mercenary leader, boasting about dangerous plans to insert himself into conflicts around the world. In the early days of the war in Ukraine, he reportedly tried to recruit soldiers from Afghanistan, Moldova, and Taiwan to join the fight against Russia. His criminal record stretches back decades: in 2002, he was arrested in Greensboro, North Carolina, after eluding a traffic stop and barricading himself from officers with a fully automatic machine gun and an explosive device with a 10-inch fuse. In 2010, police searching a warehouse he owned discovered more than 100 stolen items, ranging from power tools to spa tubs. In both felony cases, judges gave Routh either probation or a suspended sentence.
Routh’s background and the unusual nature of his legal maneuvers have raised questions about his mental state and fitness to stand trial. Nevertheless, Judge Cannon determined he was competent to represent himself, a right enshrined in U.S. law but rarely exercised in high-profile federal cases. The judge’s decision reflects a careful balancing act between protecting the integrity of the legal process and respecting a defendant’s autonomy—even when that defendant’s actions and words are as unconventional as Routh’s.
The prosecution’s account of the assassination attempt paints a picture of a carefully planned, if ultimately unsuccessful, plot. According to court documents and statements from federal authorities, Routh spent weeks surveilling Trump’s movements and preparing for the attack. The Secret Service agent’s vigilance prevented what could have been a historic tragedy, but the incident nonetheless underscores the persistent threats faced by high-profile political figures in a polarized era.
As the trial approaches, security around the courthouse in Fort Pierce has been heightened, reflecting both the seriousness of the charges and the intense public interest in the case. Jury selection is expected to be a complex affair, given the high-profile nature of both the defendant and the alleged victim. Legal analysts note that Routh’s decision to represent himself could complicate proceedings, potentially leading to delays or appeals, but also giving him a direct platform to air his grievances—however outlandish they may seem.
For Trump, who was running for a second term as the GOP presidential nominee at the time of the alleged attack, the incident adds another chapter to a political career marked by controversy, danger, and relentless media scrutiny. For Routh, the trial represents a final stage in a long and tumultuous journey through the criminal justice system, one that has now placed him at the center of a national spectacle.
As the nation awaits the outcome, all eyes will be on the federal courthouse in Fort Pierce. The trial promises not only to shed light on the specifics of the alleged assassination plot but also to test the limits of the American legal system’s ability to handle the extraordinary and the unpredictable.