Florida AG Charging Ryan Routh With Attempted Murder Of Trump, Says Biden, Garland Blocked Probe

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced on Thursday morning that his office will charge Ryan Routh, who allegedly attempted to assassinate then-GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump on September 15, 2024, at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, with attempted murder and terrorism.

Uthmeier also asserted that the Biden administration had stonewalled the investigation into the matter, and that former President Joe Biden and former Attorney General Merrick Garland had “sought to frustrate our efforts and block our investigation.”

Trump was playing a round of golf on September 15 when Routh allegedly hid in a bush on the outside of the golf course with a semi-automatic rifle. The suspect was spotted by a Secret Service agent as Trump neared the would-be assassin’s hideout.

“On September 15, 2024, Ryan Routh attempted to assassinate then-presidential candidate Donald J. Trump at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach,” Uthmeier declared. “Shortly after the assassination attempt, Governor DeSantis signed an executive order directing the Office of Attorney General to work with our law enforcement partners and investigate Mr. Routh.”

“After 206 days of stonewalling by the federal government that stemmed from days of the Biden administration, I’m able to now announce that my office is charging Mr. Routh for the attempted first-degree murder of President Trump as well as a charge for terrorism,” he stated. “My office, as well as our law-enforcement partners, were met with major roadblocks in prosecuting this case during Biden‘s term. Biden and his attorney general sought to frustrate our efforts and block our investigation into the man who crossed into this state and attempted to commit political violence against a Florida resident.”

“Thank God he was unsuccessful, and thank God we have Donald Trump as president again,” he stated, continuing, “The leadership of Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel was instrumental in preserving Florida’s sovereign authority to do what is right and bring justice where it is due. We now have a federal government willing to work together to pursue justice.”

“Attempting to take the life of a former president and a leading presidential candidate isn’t just an attack on one man,” he said. “This was a political attack against our republican form of government and our shared American values. We cannot allow justice to be delayed or denied, and thanks to the president, our U.S. Attorney General, and the FBI director, we are moving forward in our pursuit.”

“Our state-wide prosecutors will work to hold this evil man accountable and keep Florida safe, strong, and free,” he concluded.

Today, my office is officially charging Ryan Routh for attempting to assassinate then-presidential candidate Donald J. Trump.

Thanks to the leadership of @AGPamBondi and @FBIDirectorKash, we now have a federal government willing to work with the states to pursue justice. pic.twitter.com/HFuI2W4tdx

— Attorney General James Uthmeier (@AGJamesUthmeier) April 10, 2025

Zach Jewell contributed to this article.