Attempted Trump assassin Ryan Routh files to appeal life sentence

Miami, Florida - The man who was convicted of plotting to assassinate President Donald Trump is now attempting to appeal his prison sentence.

Ryan Routh, the man convicted of plotting to assassinate Donald Trump (l.) in 2024, is now fighting to appeal his sentence of life in prison.
Ryan Routh, the man convicted of plotting to assassinate Donald Trump (l.) in 2024, is now fighting to appeal his sentence of life in prison.  © Collage: SAUL LOEB / AFP & AFP PHOTO /PALM BEACH COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE

On Monday, attorneys for Ryan Routh filed a notice of appeal against both his conviction and his sentence to life in prison, which was handed down by Judge Aileen Cannon on February 4, 2026.

Routh was arrested on September 15, 2024, after a Secret Service agent saw the barrel of a rifle poking from the bushes on the perimeter of the West Palm Beach golf course, where then-presidential candidate Trump was playing a round.

The agent opened fire, and Routh, who fled in a vehicle, was arrested shortly after.

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The Department of Justice sought a sentence of life in prison, arguing that Routh had plotted for months to assassinate the politician.

Routh, who represented himself, pushed to face only 27 years in prison and alleged that there were errors in the trial.

After the judge handed down the verdict earlier this month, Routh grabbed a pen and attempted to stab himself in the neck with it before exiting the courtroom.

Routh's daughter, Sara, has repeatedly argued that her father's trial was "rigged," pointing to Judge Cannon's ties to President Trump.

Cover photo: Collage: SAUL LOEB / AFP & AFP PHOTO /PALM BEACH COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE

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