OAN Staff Brooke Mallory
12:08 PM – Tuesday, September 9, 2025
Ryan Routh, the man accused of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump on his golf course last year, is currently facing trial in federal court. However, sources say the publicity surrounding the trial is complicating the jury selection process.
Jury selection began on September 8th in federal court in Fort Pierce, Florida. Opening statements are expected later this week, with the trial anticipated to run approximately three to four weeks.
120 jurors reported to federal court in Fort Pierce, Florida, for the second day of jury selection in the trial of the accused, who has chosen to represent himself despite lacking any formal legal training.
However, at least 21 prospective jurors have already signaled that they have scheduling issues or financial concerns that would require their removal from consideration.
During questioning, at least one potential juror admitted to U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon that her support for Trump and prior familiarity with the case would prevent her from being impartial.
Judge Cannon, who previously presided over one of Trump’s criminal cases, said that she hopes to seat a jury by Wednesday afternoon, with the trial expected to last about three weeks.
Thus far, jury selection has proceeded slowly, being complicated by Routh’s requests to pose questions Judge Cannon deemed irrelevant and overly political. Among the questions she prohibited were Routh’s inquiries into prospective jurors’ views on “Palestine,” their opinion of Trump’s “proposal to buy Greenland,” and even how they would react if they encountered “a turtle in the road,” a question Routh argued could reveal character and judgment.
By the end of Monday’s session, prosecutors had successfully moved to strike 20 potential jurors over concerns about impartiality, with Routh consenting to all but one of the challenges. He indicated, however, that he intends to challenge seven jurors himself.
Prosecutors argue that after months of planning, backed by supporting evidence, Routh positioned himself in the early hours of Sept. 15th, hiding in the bushes of Trump’s Palm Beach golf course with a firearm aimed and waiting.
When Trump came within a hole of Routh’s location, a Secret Service agent suddenly noticed the weapon protruding from the tree line and opened fire, prompting Routh to flee and search for his vehicle to escape. He was later apprehended on a nearby interstate.
Routh has pleaded not guilty to five federal charges that can carry a life sentence, including attempted assassination of a presidential candidate and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime.
This follows after Routh’s adult son, Oran Routh, 36, was charged in a North Carolina federal court last year with one count each of receipt and possession of images of child sexual abuse, according to court records.
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