Attempted Trump Assassin Ryan Routh Makes Bizarre Prison Request

Should his request be granted?

Would-be Trump assassin Ryan Routh has requested the court to allow him to be imprisoned in a state that allows assisted suicide.

Routh who previously attempted to stab himself in the neck with a pen in court after being found guilty on attempted assassination charges, requested the court to grant him to be in a state with assisted suicide because he is a “constant failure.”

The Daily Caller provided further insight into Routh’s request:

Attempted Trump Assassin Ryan Routh is asking to be imprisoned in a state that permits assisted suicide.

Routh, who attempted to stab himself with a pen as his guilty verdict was read in the courtroom in September, requested to “kindly be placed in a state that has assisted suicide since I am a constant failure.”

“I have yet been unable to obtain a list, but I hope someone can provide it,” he wrote in a motion.

Routh was convicted on five counts in September, including attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer and several gun charges, after representing himself during a 12-day trial in Florida. A Secret Service agent discovered Routh hiding in the bushes with a rifle at Trump’s Florida golf course on Sept. 15, 2024.

Routh wrote in his motion that he is still holding out hope someone might assist him in being traded in a prisoner swap, suggesting trades for “any modest, humble female protestor that stood for womens rights” in Iran, a Ukrainian prisoner of war in Russia or for journalist Jimmy Li in China.

Routh suggested offering himself in exchange for the Nobel Peace Prize laureate imprisoned in Iran “would make Trump look good in the eyes of the Nobel Prize committee, while disposing of his worst enemy.”

“Do not let me take my own life and it have zero benefit for humanity or mankind,” Routh wrote.

🚨🚨BREAKING: Would-be Trump assassin Ryan Routh tries to stab himself in the neck with a pen after guilty verdict read in court.🚨🚨 pic.twitter.com/bnpYKeerVp

— Fox News (@FoxNews) September 23, 2025

WPBF reported that Routh is now seeking legal representation for his sentencing, he previously represented himself:

Ryan Routh, convicted last month on all five charges related to last year’s assassination attempt on President Donald Trump’s life at his West Palm Beach golf club, is now asking for lawyers to represent him during his sentencing set for December.

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He chose to act as his own attorney at trial. According to court documents, the Federal Public Defender’s Office says they can’t represent him now during sentencing because of a conflict of interest. They asked the court to appoint a conflict-free attorney.

The state replied that they don’t object to that, but don’t want the sentencing to be a retrial because he now regrets going “pro se”—without an attorney—and getting convicted.

Routh faces life in prison when he is sentenced on December 18.