He's accused of trying to assassinate Trump. At trial, he's going it alone

September 8, 2025

Ryan Routh, a 59-year-old defendant representing himself, is on trial for allegedly attempting to assassinate then-candidate Donald Trump at his golf course in West Palm Beach last September. The trial began with jury selection where Routh's unusual proposed questions for potential jurors, including one about stopping for a turtle in the road, prompted objections from prosecutors who felt they trivialized the serious charges. Despite Judge Aileen Cannon's warnings that attorneys would represent him better, Routh is proceeding without legal counsel after claiming his appointed lawyers were "a million miles apart" from him.

Who is affected

Ryan Routh, the 59-year-old defendant charged with attempting to assassinate Trump
Former President Donald Trump, who was the alleged target
Judge Aileen Cannon, who is presiding over the case
Federal prosecutors, including John Shipley Jr.
The 180 local residents called for jury selection
FBI agents, including one who was allegedly fired upon by Routh
Court-appointed attorneys who remain on standby

What action is being taken

Jury selection is currently underway with the court working to select 12 jurors and four alternates from a pool of 180 local residents
Judge Cannon is reviewing and making decisions on jury screening questions
Prosecutors are objecting to Routh's unconventional jury questions
Routh is actively participating in his own defense despite having no legal training
Court-appointed attorneys are standing by as ordered by the judge
The judge is bringing in a new group of potential jurors on Tuesday for consideration

Why it matters

This is the second alleged assassination attempt against Trump in recent months, highlighting escalating political violence leading up to the 2024 election
The case has prompted government inquiries into the U.S. Secret Service
The trial is taking place in the same courthouse and before the same judge who previously oversaw Trump's classified documents case
The case represents an unusual situation where a defendant facing serious federal charges is representing himself
Legal experts note that defendants who represent themselves typically have very high conviction rates

What's next

A new group of potential jurors will be brought in on Tuesday to continue the jury selection process
The trial will proceed once the jury of 12 members and four alternates is selected
No explicit next steps stated in the article beyond the continuation of jury selection

Read full article from source: BBC