Guilty Verdict in Florida Plot Against Trump Reveals Political Violence Rise

A tense courtroom in Fort Pierce, Florida, witnessed the conviction of Ryan Routh for attempting to assassinate Donald Trump at a golf course last year. The jury's decision underscored the ever-growing issue of political violence in the United States.

Routh's plan was foiled when a U.S. Secret Service agent, on duty at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, spotted him poised with a rifle aimed at the former president. Prosecutors labeled the plot as a 'deadly serious' attempt to change the course of history during Trump's 2024 presidential campaign.

Despite Routh's erratic history and involvement in international pro-democracy movements, his defense of a gentle nature held little ground. His trial added to the national conversation on the troubling uptick of targeted attacks against political figures.