Man who allegedly tried to kill Trump will defend himself

The man accused of trying to assassinate Trump at his West Palm Beach golf club will defend himself at his trial, which opens with jury selection in Florida.

Almost a year since he allegedly perched a rifle through the chain-link fence of a golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, the 59-year-old man accused of creating a “sniper’s nest” one hole away from where Donald Trump was playing golf will now stand trial. https://cnn.it/3V6Grbs

— CNN (@cnn.com) 2025-09-08T11:30:07.237516751Z

Ryan Routh, 59, was arrested on September 15, 2024 as he attempted to flee by car. Earlier, the Secret Service had spotted him in the woods surrounding Trump’s golf club in West Palm Beach, just a hundred feet from the area where Donald Trump was staying.

The trial opens on September 8 with jury selection, and according to CNN, Routh has chosen to represent himself. The case promises to be as surprising as some of his court filings, in which he bluntly attacks Trump.

According to documents reported by CNN, Routh makes troubling remarks that hint at the tone of his trial.

In it, he calls Trump a “racist pig” and challenges him to a round of golf to decide his guilt.

The trial, which opens on September 8 under the presidency of federal judge Aileen Cannon, a close Trump ally, is expected to last a maximum of four weeks.