The incident gained international attention, coming just two months after Trump survived an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania, where a bullet grazed his ear.
A Trial Marked by Outbursts
Routh represented himself in the 12-day trial before Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee. The courtroom saw frequent clashes between Routh and the judge, with Cannon admonishing him for veering off-topic.
At one point, Routh filed a challenge in court, offering Trump a bizarre ultimatum:
“If he wins, he can execute me. I win, I get his job.”
Despite his claims of being “nonviolent,” prosecutors presented cell phone data, writings, and witness testimony showing he had meticulously tracked Trump’s movements. They visited the golf course multiple times before the failed attack.
Trump himself reacted to the conviction on Truth Social, writing:
“This was an evil man with an evil intention, and they caught him. A very big moment for JUSTICE IN AMERICA!”
Routh’s Background and Motives
A former roofer and one-time Trump supporter, Routh voted for him in 2016 but later turned against him after the Jan. 6 Capitol attack. Prosecutors highlighted writings, including a self-published book in which he called for Trump’s assassination, partly over foreign policy positions on Iran.
