Man accused of trying to kill Trump to call 3 defense witnesses

Ryan Routh, who is accused of attempting to assassinate President Trump last year at a Florida country club, is expected to call three witnesses as his defense begins on Monday.

Routh, who is defending himself, said he plans on calling a firearms expert and two character witnesses.

Prosecutors, who questioned 38 witnesses before resting their case, said he spent weeks planning the assassination attempt.

A Secret Service agent testified about seeing Routh before the alleged attempt, saying that Routh aimed his rifle, causing the agent to open fire and Routh to flee before firing a shot.

The 59-year-old Routh has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer and several firearms violations. He faces a life sentence in prison if convicted.

On Friday, Routh told U.S. District Court Judge Aileen Cannon, who was appointed by Trump in 2020, that he needed roughly a day and a half to present his defense. He hasn’t explicitly said he would testify himself. 

Routh said this summer that he chose to represent himself after his public defenders didn’t listen and were afraid of him. 

“How are they supposed to represent me and say I’m not a dangerous person when they don’t believe that?” he said in July. 

Weeks before the incident in which Routh is charged, Trump survived an attempt on his life while campaigning in Pennsylvania. A bullet grazed his ear and the gunman responsible was shot on scene by a Secret Service sniper.  

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Updated at 11:48 a.m. EDT