Opening statements began Thursday in the trial of Ryan Routh, who was charged with trying to assassinate Donald Trump while he played golf last year at his West Palm Beach course in Florida. Ryan Routh was arrested after a Secret Service agent said he spotted him holding a rifle near where Trump was golfing at his West Palm Beach club in September 2024. Trial begins for man charged with attempting to assassinate Trump Ryan Routh was arrested after a Secret Service agent spotted him holding a gun and fired on him when Trump was golfing at his West Palm Beach golf club in September. In his opening, federal prosecutor John Shipley told jurors that Routh wanted to ensure that voters would not be able to elect Donald Trump as president in 2024. Fercano, a former Marine and trained marksman, said, “This appeared to be a textbook ambush scenario.”In the courtroom, Fercano identified Routh as the gunman.