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  "path": "/latest/ryan-routh-sentenced-after-chilling-trump-golf-course-plot/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-02-05T06:24:45.000Z",
  "site": "https://humenglish.com",
  "tags": [
    "Entertainment",
    "Latest",
    "Ryan Routh sentenced after chilling Trump golf course plot",
    "HUM News"
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  "textContent": "A Florida man who came dangerously close to assassinating Donald Trump during a round of golf in 2024 has been sentenced, closing one of the most unsettling political security cases in recent US history.\n\nRyan Routh was sentenced on Wednesday after being convicted on multiple federal charges linked to a foiled attack at Trump’s West Palm Beach golf course. The plot was stopped by a US Secret Service agent moments before it could unfold.\n\nProsecutors said Routh had spent weeks stalking the area around the golf course and Trump’s nearby Mar-a-Lago residence. On September 15, 2024, he positioned himself in a makeshift sniper’s nest behind a chain-link fence, just 126 feet from the sixth green, where Trump was expected to stand.\n\nTrump, then a presidential candidate, was playing one hole back when a Secret Service agent conducting a security sweep noticed part of Routh’s face and the barrel of a rifle protruding through the fence. The agent fired several shots, forcing Routh to flee.\n\nRouth was later arrested after a bystander, Tommy McGee, followed him long enough to record his licence plate and alert authorities. McGee later testified at trial and was credited with helping prevent a potentially fatal outcome.\n\n## A dramatic trial and sentencing\n\nRouth was convicted in September after choosing to represent himself at trial, a decision that led to repeated clashes with the presiding judge, US District Judge Aileen Cannon. He was frequently reprimanded for straying beyond the scope of the case during questioning and arguments.\n\nAt sentencing, Routh addressed the court while shackled and dressed in a prison jumpsuit, making statements about global conflicts before being cut off by the judge.\n\nCannon described the plot as deliberate and dangerous, telling Routh he had clearly demonstrated an intent to kill and had come close to carrying out the attack.\n\nAlongside the primary sentence, Routh received additional prison terms to be served concurrently. These include sentences for possession of a firearm during a violent crime, assault on a federal officer, possession of a firearm as a convicted felon, and possession of a weapon with an obliterated serial number.\n\nThe Justice Department had pushed for the maximum sentence, arguing that Routh showed no remorse and had prepared to use violence against anyone who stood in his way.\n\n## Evidence of planning\n\nDuring the trial, prosecutors presented evidence showing Routh used burner phones to search for Trump’s upcoming rallies, Palm Beach traffic cameras, and possible escape routes out of Florida.\n\nInvestigators also uncovered a handwritten letter in which Routh admitted he had tried to assassinate Trump and offered $150,000 to anyone willing to complete the act. Authorities said there was no evidence he had access to such funds.\n\nAfter the sentence was read, Routh reportedly looked into the courtroom gallery, smiled and winked at someone he knew as he was led away by federal marshals.\n\nThe case has drawn renewed attention to the security risks surrounding high-profile political figures, particularly during public appearances and private outings.\n\nThe post Ryan Routh sentenced after chilling Trump golf course plot appeared first on HUM News.",
  "title": "Ryan Routh sentenced after chilling Trump golf course plot"
}