Dangerous! Man on Trial for Trying to Assassinate Trump as Political Violence Surges Across America
Opening remarks were made Thursday in the criminal trial of Ryan Routh, the defendant who is accused of attempting to kill U.S. President Donald Trump at his Florida golf estate. The trial is expected to highlight the growing prevalence of political violence in the United States.
Five federal accusations, including the attempted killing of a prominent presidential contender, Routh, 59, has entered a not guilty plea. The maximum penalty for him is life in jail.
The trial will begin the day after Charlie Kirk, a prominent Trump ally and right-wing activist, was shot and killed at an event at Utah Valley University, the most recent example of political violence in the United States. Trump was the target of two assassination attempts during his 2024 presidential campaign, which forced him to return to the White House.
Secret Service thwarts assassination attempt at Trump International Golf Club
According to U.S. authorities, on September 15, 2024, Routh concealed a weapon close to the sixth hole green at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach with the goal of killing Trump as he was playing golf there.
According to court filings, Routh fled without firing a shot when a Secret Service agent saw him and the gun sticking through a fence and opened fire. When authorities caught him on a Florida roadway the same afternoon, he was taken into custody.
Background of Ryan Routh and his defense strategy
Routh, a former unstable roofing contractor who had pushed for democracy in Taiwan and Ukraine, was questioned in 2023 about a fantastical idea to send Afghan refugees to aid Ukraine in fending off Russia’s invasion.
He informed U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon in July that he would defend himself because he did not trust a “random stranger” to speak for him. His two previous public defenders are now functioning as backup attorneys to help with logistical concerns.
After opening comments, a jury consisting of five men and seven women will start hearing the case’s evidence.
Rising political violence in the US: Historical context and recent incidents
The United States is now seeing the longest-running surge in political violence since the 1970s, according to Reuters investigations. This pattern started during Trump’s first presidential campaign in 2016.
Other high-profile incidents include the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters and the 2017 shooting death of senior Republican member of the House of Representatives Steve Scalise at a congressional baseball game.
Political violence has also recently targeted Democrats. When the family was inside Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s home in April, an arsonist broke in and set it on fire. In June, a shooter in Minnesota injured state senator John Hoffman and his wife and killed state legislator Melissa Hortman and her husband while impersonating a police officer.
During his second administration, Trump has worked to make crime and violence more of a concern, especially in large American cities. Despite data indicating an overall decline in violent crime over the last several years, he has sent National Guard soldiers and federal agents to Washington, D.C., and has threatened to extend the crackdown to other mostly Democratic-controlled cities.
As the Routh trial gets underway, Trump imposes his will on the prosecuting U.S. Justice Department by dismissing officers who he believes are not sufficiently loyal.
Ironically, it will take place in front of the same judge and in the same courtroom where Trump was charged with improperly retaining confidential materials after his first term. Trump nominated Cannon in 2020, but he dropped the case before it went to trial.
During the three days of jury selection, Cannon shown moments of annoyance with Routh and dismissed his suggested questions to potential jurors, claiming they were extraneous and touching on issues such as pro-Palestinian student movement and the conflict in Ukraine.