Overview

• Ryan Routh, facing federal and state charges for an alleged assassination attempt on Donald Trump in September 2024, has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
• A federal judge ruled that Routh's defense team may conduct an independent operability test on the recovered AK-47, with a deadline set for May 15, 2025.
• The defense argues the rifle's operability and range are critical to disproving intent, while prosecutors maintain the weapon successfully fired during prior tests.
• Prosecutors allege that Routh had also sought military-grade weapons, including a rocket launcher, to prevent Trump's election, citing communications with an associate.
• The trial is scheduled for September 2025, with the defense set to review evidence at an FBI field office next week as legal and evidentiary disputes unfold.