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Ryan Routh trial: Defense rests in attempted assassination of Donald Trump

Witness testimony ends after chaotic self-defense

Lothar Speer

This courtroom sketch shows Secret Service agent Robert Fercano identifying the defendant in the trial of Ryan Routh, who is charged with attempting to assassinate Donald Trump last year at a golf course in South Florida, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025, in Fort Pierce, Fla.

By: Ethan Stein , Associated Press

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FORT PIERCE, Fla. — A man representing himself in federal court after being charged with trying to assassinate President Donald Trump at his golf course near West Palm Beach declined to testify Monday as part of a defense in which he is representing himself and wrapped up his case by questioning a firearms expert and two character witnesses.

Suspect in Trump attempted assassination trial prepares defense

Ryan Routh rested his case before lunch after questioning the witnesses for three hours in the morning. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon asked if Routh wanted to testify himself, and he said no. Closing arguments are slated for Tuesday.

Michael McClay, a sniper instructor and former sniper in the Marines, was the first witness Routh called to the stand.

McClay was considered to be the only witness of substance related to Routh's defense, as the rest were character witnesses.

McClay is important to Routh's intent argument because the sniper instructor tested the weapon during a shooting test. He found the gun had fired the bullet in the chamber, but it didn't load the second round into the gun.

McClay testified Monday that Routh could have tried to shoot somebody — like Trump — who was standing on the green at the fifth hole or the tee box to the sixth hole.

During questioning, Routh tried to imply that since a shot was never fired, he didn't have the intent to kill Trump.

However, Routh's message was difficult to understand because he mumbled and fumbled through questions, breathed heavily into the microphone, jumped from topic to topic and asked several unrelated questions.

Gun found outside Trump golf course takes center stage at Ryan Routh trial

At times, it felt like McClay could have been a witness for the prosecution, pointing out that Routh did an "adequate" job of blending in with his surroundings.

Routh also implied that he intended to flee and never take the shot, pointing to his vehicle being next to the location off the sixth hole.

McClay seemed very frustrated with Routh during his testimony, at times declining to answer questions.

This prompted Judge Aileen Cannon to ask the jury to leave for a break, then admonished Routh about asking unrelated questions.

The jury came back, and Routh quickly ended his direct examination.

The prosecution's cross-examination pointed out that the "misfire" could have occurred because the gun wasn't maintained properly during the months it sat in storage, and it already had a bullet in the chamber, something that needed to be physically done by a human to show Routh's intent of doing damage.

Prosecutors also had McClay explain that one bullet could have been fatal and that he noticed the serial numbers on the gun were destroyed. They also reemphasized his testimony of being well concealed.

FBI details digital trail in trial of man accused of trying to kill Trump

The two character witnesses, a former employee and a friend of Routh's son, said that Ryan Routh was a very generous guy, who would try to help a number of people. They also both said they weren't aware of him harming anybody.

The first character witness, Mr. Hinshaw, said he even gave Routh a home to stay when his significant other was pregnant, saying Routh "always took care of people."

However, during the cross-examination, prosecutors pointed out that Hinshaw and Routh hadn't had regular face-to-face contact in more than five years, so they wouldn't be able to speak to his character at the current time.

Following a series of unrelated questions, Cannon ended his direct examination of his third and final witness.

Routh Called His Fiancee From Jail After Arrest

Routh texted his three adult children and his fiancée separately to tell them he loved them, according to cellphone records, shortly before authorities say he was spotted by a U.S. Secret Service agent, who identified Routh as the man who tried to assassinate President Donald Trump at his Florida golf course.

Later that same day, Routh called his fiancée from the Palm Beach County jail to tell her about his arrest, but she already knew. "Everybody knows, it's been hours," the woman can be heard saying on a recording of the call. "The whole world knows."

Seasoned prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida rested their case Friday afternoon after spending seven days questioning 38 witnesses in an attempt to make sure Routh spends the rest of his life in prison.

Prosecutors have said Routh spent weeks plotting to kill Trump before aiming a rifle through shrubbery as Trump played golf on Sept. 15, 2024, at his West Palm Beach country club.

Routh has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer and several firearm violations.

The U.S. Supreme Court has held that criminal defendants have a right to represent themselves in court proceedings, as long as they can show a judge they are competent to waive their right to be defended by an attorney. Routh's former defense attorneys have served as standby counsel since Routh took over his own defense and have been present during trial the past two weeks.

Cannon previously said attorneys should be prepared to deliver their closing arguments Tuesday, giving each side one hour and 45 minutes. Jurors will begin deliberating after that. Cannon had initially blocked off more than three weeks for the trial at the Fort Pierce federal courthouse, but Routh's relatively short cross-examinations have led to a quicker pace than anticipated.

Recounting the alleged attack at the golf course, a Secret Service agent testified last week that he spotted Routh before Trump came into view. Routh aimed his rifle at the agent, who opened fire, causing Routh to drop his weapon and flee without firing a shot, the agent said.

Law enforcement obtained help from a witness who testified that he saw a person fleeing the area after hearing gunshots. The witness was then flown in a police helicopter to a nearby interstate where Routh was arrested, and the witness said he confirmed it was the person he had seen.

Just nine weeks earlier, Trump had survived an attempt on his life while campaigning in Pennsylvania. That gunman had fired eight shots, with one bullet grazing Trump’s ear. The gunman was then fatally shot by a Secret Service counter sniper.

Routh was a North Carolina construction worker who in recent years had moved to Hawaii. A self-styled mercenary leader, Routh spoke out to anyone who would listen about his dangerous, sometimes violent plans to insert himself into conflicts around the world, witnesses have told The Associated Press.

In the early days of the war in Ukraine, Routh tried to recruit soldiers from Afghanistan, Moldova and Taiwan to fight the Russians. In his native Greensboro, North Carolina, he was arrested in 2002 for eluding a traffic stop and barricading himself from officers with a fully automatic machine gun and a "weapon of mass destruction," which turned out to be an explosive with a 10-inch fuse, police said.

In 2010, police searched a warehouse Routh owned and found more than 100 stolen items, from power tools and building supplies to kayaks and spa tubs. In both felony cases, judges gave Routh either probation or a suspended sentence.

In addition to the federal charges, Routh also has pleaded not guilty to state charges of terrorism and attempted murder.

More of WPTV's coverage of Trump assassination attempt below: