The federal judge presiding over the case against Ryan Routh has denied his request to access classified documents related to his attempted assassination of President Donald Trump, citing grave national security concerns.
According to the Daily Mail, Judge Aileen Cannon ruled that disclosing the requested information "could cause serious damage or exceptionally grave damages to the national security of the United States." The judge's decision came after Routh, who is representing himself in the upcoming trial, sought documents connected to his own arrest following the September incident at Trump's West Palm Beach golf course.
"The Court finds that the United States properly invoked the provisions of [the] Classified Information Procedures Act and its classified information privilege as to the information referenced by the classified order," Cannon wrote in her two-page decision, which was sealed along with all accompanying materials.
The mysterious nature of the classified information has prompted widespread speculation about what might be contained in the documents and why they pose such a significant national security risk.
Conservative influencer Nick Sortor publicly questioned on social media whether Routh might have been "a Ukrainian asset or something," while libertarian Ken Silva wondered, "What are they trying to hide?!" These reactions highlight the uncertainty surrounding the case and the sensitive nature of the materials being withheld.
The Department of Justice successfully argued that the information Routh was seeking falls under national security protections, though the specific content of the documents remains unknown to the public. This level of secrecy in a high-profile assassination attempt case has only fueled more questions about potential international connections.
Routh, 59, faces multiple serious charges stemming from the September 15, 2024 incident at Trump's golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Prosecutors allege that Routh aimed a rifle at the president from behind bushes on the golf course, but his plan was foiled when an alert Secret Service agent spotted him. When confronted, Routh allegedly pointed his weapon at the agent, who opened fire while Trump was quickly moved to safety. The incident occurred just weeks before the November presidential election.
In addition to attempted assassination charges, Routh faces counts of assaulting a federal officer, possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, and having a weapon with a removed serial number. The suspect has pleaded not guilty to all charges against him.
Last month, Judge Cannon granted Routh's request to represent himself at trial, despite warning him that his court-appointed attorneys "will defend you better than you can defend yourself," according to Fox News.
Since taking over his own defense, Routh has filed numerous motions and made several unusual statements in court. During his first opportunity to speak before the judge, he went off-topic, discussing what he believed were the ambitions of Judge Cannon and the federal prosecutors, as reported by WPBF.
In one particularly strange move, Routh wrote a letter to Judge Cannon questioning why the death penalty wasn't being considered in his case and suggesting he could be included in a prisoner exchange with foreign adversaries like Hamas, Iran, or China.
Routh's legal filings have become increasingly erratic as the case progresses toward trial. "Why is the death penalty not allowed? At nearly 60, a life of nothingness without love - what is the point? Why is it all or nothing?" Routh wrote to the judge, according to Fox News.
He then suggested that Cannon "trade me away" to give Trump "an easy diplomatic victory" by sending "an American he hates to China, Iran or North Korea."
The defendant has also attempted to exclude "irrelevant and prejudicial evidence" from his former employer, Tina Cooper, who previously pleaded guilty to helping Routh obtain weapons illegally. Federal prosecutors responded by claiming Routh was "mistaken" on numerous points and argued that his self-representation risks turning the trial into a "circus."
