The man who allegedly tried to kill Trump at his golf course is representing himself

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

Ryan Routh, 59, was arrested on September 15, 2024 after a high-speed chase with police. Earlier that day, 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 with jury selection, and according to CNN, Routh has chosen to represent himself instead of opting for a public defender. The case promises to be potentially shocking as the statements he has already released through the court tell a newsworthy story…

According to documents reported by CNN, Routh makes disturbing 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, claiming that if Trump wins, he will subject himself to the death penalty, and if he [Routhe] wins, he will succeed Trump as President. 

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