Florida prosecutes suspect accused of attempting to murder Trump and commit terrorism

Would-be Trump assassin suspect Ryan Routh will now face state charges in Florida on top of the federal charges he has already pleaded not guilty to.

Florida’s Attorney General James Uthmeier stated that his office obtained a warrant to charge Routh with attempted first-degree murder and terrorism in connection to an alleged plot to kill President Donald Trump at his West Palm Beach golf course in September. Uthmeier shared this information during an appearance on “Fox & Friends” on Thursday.

Uthmeier explained that Florida officials encountered obstacles in their initial investigation due to the Biden Justice Department’s jurisdictional claims. This situation prompted Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to issue an executive order shortly after the September 15 incident. This order empowered state agencies to pursue charges like attempted murder, offenses that may result in a life sentence.

Suspected would-be assassin Ryan Routh will now face state charges in Florida on top of the federal charges he has already pleaded not guilty to.

Routh is accused of carrying out what federal prosecutors describe as the final stage of an attempted assassination plot against Trump.

In the pre-dawn hours of Sept. 15, prosecutors say Routh set up a sniper hideout near Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach. Armed with a military-grade SKS rifle that he had obtained illegally, Routh is accused of positioning himself in anticipation of Trump’s arrival to play golf.

A sketch depicting Ryan Routh, the man accused of attempting to assassinate then-President-elect Donald Trump in West Palm Beach last year, with his attorney, Kristy Militello, appearing in a federal court in Fort Pierce, Florida, on Friday, March 7, 2025. (Lothar Speer)

However, before Trump came into range, Routh was spotted by Secret Service agents. When they confronted him, the agents opened fire and Routh fled the scene, abandoning his rifle, officials said. 

During his attempted escape, he carried a written escape plan, multiple burner phones, fake IDs and stolen license plates, according to authorities. He was later arrested in Martin County the same day.

On Monday, Routh’s defense submitted court filings, including a 13-page motion alleging that law enforcement used “impermissibly suggestive” tactics when interviewing an eyewitness identified as T.C.M. They claim the witness felt pressured to identify Routh because of the intense atmosphere created by the presence of multiple law enforcement agencies.

Routh’s trial is scheduled to begin Sept. 8, 2025.

In December, former Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody charged Routh with another felony attempted murder charge, with prosecutors arguing he was responsible for an accident that almost killed a young girl when police shut down traffic after he fled. 

Fox News’ Danamarie McNicholl and David Lewkowict contributed to this report.