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The Trump assassination attempt trial started Thursday in Fort Pierce, Florida, with prosecutors outlining their case against 59-year-old Ryan Routh. Authorities accuse him of plotting for weeks to kill then-presidential candidate Donald Trump during a golf game last September. Routh has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer, and firearm violations. He is representing himself, though court-appointed attorneys remain available if needed.
Defendant’s Courtroom Presence
Until this week, Routh appeared in shackles and a tan jail jumpsuit. With jurors now present, he entered unrestrained, wearing a sport coat and tie. Judge Aileen Cannon allowed him to speak from a podium but limited his courtroom movement. A panel of 12 jurors and four alternates was sworn in Wednesday. The group includes a mix of white and Black men and women, selected from 180 potential jurors.
Details of the Alleged Plot
Prosecutors said Routh aimed a rifle through shrubbery at Trump while he played golf at his West Palm Beach club on September 15, 2024. A Secret Service agent spotted him before Trump appeared, prompting Routh to point the rifle at the agent. The officer fired, forcing Routh to drop his weapon and flee without firing a shot. The Trump assassination attempt trial comes nearly a year later and is expected to last up to three weeks. It follows another attempt on Trump’s life in Pennsylvania just weeks earlier, where a gunman grazed his ear before being killed by a Secret Service sniper.
Routh’s Background and History
Routh once worked construction in North Carolina before moving to Hawaii. Known as a self-styled mercenary leader, he tried to recruit fighters from Afghanistan, Moldova, and Taiwan to join the war in Ukraine. His criminal history stretches back decades. In 2002, he was arrested in Greensboro, North Carolina, for eluding police and barricading himself with an automatic weapon and explosives.
Political and Legal Context
Judge Cannon, appointed by Trump, previously drew criticism for her handling of Trump’s classified documents case, which she later dismissed. Her oversight of this case places her back in the national spotlight.
As the Trump assassination attempt trial proceeds, prosecutors seek to prove Routh’s intent to kill the former president. The case underscores growing concerns about political violence in America.
