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A man found guilty of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump during a 2024 incident at a Florida golf course was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison.

U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon handed down the sentence to Ryan Routh in a Fort Pierce courtroom that was the same venue where proceedings descended into chaos last September, when Routh attempted to stab himself shortly after a jury convicted him on all charges.

Federal prosecutors sought a sentence of life without the possibility of parole, arguing that Routh has shown no remorse and has never expressed regret for his actions. A lawyer representing Routh at sentencing urged the court to impose a 27-year term, pointing out that Routh is approaching his 60th birthday.

In addition to the life sentence, Routh was also given a consecutive seven-year prison term tied to one of his firearms convictions.

Sentencing was originally set for December, but Judge Cannon agreed to postpone it after Routh chose to retain legal counsel for this phase of the case, rather than continue representing himself as he had throughout much of the trial.

In a sentencing memorandum, prosecutors wrote that Routh has refused to accept responsibility for his actions and argued that federal guidelines support keeping him incarcerated for the rest of his life. The convictions included attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, using a firearm to further a crime, assaulting a federal officer, illegal possession of a firearm as a felon, and using a gun with a defaced serial number.

“Routh remains unrepentant for his crimes, never apologized for the lives he put at risk, and his life demonstrates near-total disregard for law,” the memo said.

Routh’s newly retained attorney, Martin L. Roth, requested that the court depart from the sentencing guidelines and impose 20 years in prison in addition to the mandatory seven-year sentence for the gun charge.

“The defendant is two weeks short of being sixty years old,” Roth wrote in a filing. “A just punishment would provide a sentence long enough to impose sufficient but not excessive punishment, and to allow defendant to experience freedom again as opposed to dying in prison.”

Prosecutors detailed that Routh spent weeks planning an attack on Trump before positioning himself in shrubbery and aiming a rifle toward the Republican presidential candidate as he played golf on September 15, 2024, at his West Palm Beach country club.

During the trial, a Secret Service agent assigned to Trump’s protection testified that he noticed Routh before Trump came into the agent’s line of sight. According to the testimony, Routh pointed his rifle at the agent, who then fired his weapon, prompting Routh to drop the gun and flee the scene without firing a shot.

In a motion seeking legal representation, Routh proposed exchanging his life in a prisoner swap for individuals he claimed were unjustly detained abroad and said the offer remained open for Trump to “take out his frustrations on my face.”

“Just a quarter of an inch further back and we all would not have to deal with all of this mess forwards, but I always fail at everything (par for the course),” Routh wrote.

When granting Routh’s request for an attorney, Judge Cannon sharply criticized what she called the “disrespectful charade” reflected in his filing, saying it undermined the seriousness of the proceedings. Still, she said she preferred to err in favor of ensuring legal representation.

Cannon had approved Routh’s request last summer to represent himself at trial. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that defendants may do so, provided they demonstrate to a judge that they are competent to waive their right to counsel.

Routh’s former federal public defenders remained involved as standby counsel and attended the trial.

Court records showed that Routh had multiple prior felony convictions, including possession of stolen property, and maintained an extensive online presence expressing hostility toward Trump. In a self-published book, he urged Iran to assassinate Trump and at another point wrote that, as a Trump voter, he bore some responsibility for helping elect him.

{Matzav.com}

Nearly half a trillion dollars has been erased from the cryptocurrency market in under a week, as a Bitcoin-led selloff gathered pace. Bitcoin at one stage fell to its lowest level in about 15 months on Wednesday.

The Supreme Court rejected the California Republican Party’s emergency attempt to stop the state’s new gerrymandered congressional map, which is likely to result in five additional seats for Democrats in the 2026 midterms.

JD Vance on Iran’s nuclear ambitions: Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. That’s the stated policy goal of the President…We know the history. The President has no interest in repeating the history of Iraq, but you don’t let crazy people get nuclear weapons.

FBI Director Kash Patel was grilled Tuesday over the government’s lingering silence about the man who shot Donald Trump during the 2024 campaign. Appearing on Special Report with Bret Baier on Fox News, Patel faced questions about why the FBI has released so little public information about Thomas Matthew Crooks, the 20-year-old Pennsylvania man who […]

Shas chairman Aryeh Deri on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on former prime minister Ehud Barak over what he described as severe racist statements revealed in a recently aired recording, accusing Israel’s media and political establishment of turning a blind eye to remarks that demean Jews of Eastern origin and challenge the Jewish identity of the state.

Deri was responding to an audio recording broadcast by journalist Yishai Friedman on Channel 14, in which Barak is heard allegedly outlining a worldview aimed at engineering demographic change through control of the Chief Rabbinate and conversion systems, while openly favoring immigration from Europe over aliyah from Eastern countries.

According to Deri, the comments expose hostility toward traditional and religious Jews and reflect an attempt to marginalize communities deeply connected to Jewish faith and heritage. He described the remarks as “horrific and racist statements,” and said Barak himself understands that Jews of Eastern descent, who are rooted in tradition and belief, do not fit into a vision of a secular state cut off from its foundations. “With this public, they cannot win,” Deri said.

Deri also condemned what he called selective enforcement by the media, arguing that similar remarks from other political leaders would have ignited immediate outrage. “Imagine if Benjamin Netanyahu had said things like this — the news broadcasts would have opened with it. Naftali Bennett, Gadi Eisenkot, and the mainstream channels would have jumped on it instantly,” he said.

He added that if he himself had spoken in a comparable way about immigration from the former Soviet Union, the reaction would have been explosive, including attacks from Avigdor Lieberman and prominent journalists. “But when it’s Ehud Barak — everyone maintains a deafening silence,” Deri said.

Deri concluded with a broader ideological message to the right-wing camp, urging confidence and resolve. “Do not be afraid of them. We will continue to safeguard the Land of Israel, the Torah of Israel, and the People of Israel — and with God’s help, we will prevail,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

A dramatic halachic ruling issued this week by HaRav Yitzchak Zilberstein, has led a prominent chareidi seminary to cancel a planned trip to the Mount Hermon site. The ruling was published in the weekly Torah publication Divrei Chemed, which features the teachings of Rav Zilberstein. In a particularly forceful response, Rav Zilberstein ruled that there […]

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said Monday that Israel will resume full-scale military operations in Gaza to eradicate Hamas if the terror group is not neutralized through other means, signaling that a renewed offensive could be imminent.

Speaking at a conference of Religious Zionism school principals in Eilat, Smotrich said an ultimatum would soon be issued to Hamas and warned that failure to comply would lead to intensified fighting. “Hamas must be completely destroyed. You will see in the coming days that a time limited ultimatum will be issued. When it expires, we will have to return to fighting, to destroy, to kill and eliminate these terrorists, and there are additional arenas where we have not yet said the final word,” he said.

Smotrich also pointed to what he described as a shift within the Israel Defense Forces, crediting increased participation by soldiers from religious backgrounds. “The army today is completely different because our people are serving in it, coming from a world of Torah. Our influence across the country is very great, and it has also increased behind closed doors and in decision making centers,” he said.

He concluded by asserting that Israel has emerged stronger in recent years, both militarily and economically. “Bottom line, after these two years our security and economic situation is better,” Smotrich said.

{Matzav.com}

The United States announced this afternoon that it has agreed to proceed with talks with Iran in Oman on Friday, reversing an earlier decision to cancel the discussions following a request from Arab countries.

The change came after reports that Washington had sent a firm message to Tehran rejecting Iranian demands to alter both the venue and structure of the talks. The discussions were initially set to take place Friday in Istanbul and to include representatives from additional countries. According to a senior American official, the U.S. made clear there was no flexibility. “We told them: ‘It’s either this or nothing.’ They said, ‘Okay, then nothing,'” the official said, adding, “We want to achieve a real deal quickly, or people will look for other options.”

Speaking earlier at a press conference, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed the broader approach to the negotiations. “We do not view these meetings as a concession or legitimization. We are ready to talk to any adversary or ally of ours,” Rubio said.

Rubio also outlined what Washington believes must be addressed for the discussions to be productive. “I think for the talks to bring something meaningful, they must include several issues – including ballistic missile ranges, the nuclear program, support for terrorist organizations in the region, and their treatment of their people,” he said.

An Iranian official responded by narrowing expectations for the agenda, stating: “The talks with the U.S. in Oman will focus solely on the nuclear program. Ballistic missiles are not on the table.”

{Matzav.com}

LONDON: Thousands attend the levaya of Harav Elyakim Schlesinger zt”l, one of the gedolei roshei yeshiva of this generation, who was niftar earlier today at 104.

Justice Minister Yariv Levin launched a fierce attack on the Supreme Court on Wednesday, accusing it of exceeding its authority and calling on the government to rally behind Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in the face of its unauthorized interference in government decisions. Levin’s statement followed the Court’s decision to issue a conditional order instructing Netanyahu […]

Nuclear talks between Iran and the United States will take place Friday in Oman, the Iranian foreign minister said, as tensions between the countries remain high following Tehran’s bloody crackdown on nationwide protests last month. The announcement by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday came after hours of indications that the anticipated talks were faltering over […]

President Donald Trump said Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei had reason for serious concern, as signs mounted that diplomatic efforts to ease tensions between Washington and Tehran were breaking down.

Asked in an interview with NBC News whether Khamenei should be worried, Trump replied, “He should be very worried.” The remark came as reports indicated that attempts to create a diplomatic off-ramp between the United States and Iran were faltering, increasing fears of a potential military confrontation.

Trump insisted that dialogue had not fully collapsed, saying, “They’re negotiating with us,” even as uncertainty surrounded the future of the talks.

During the interview, the reporter noted that Iranian protesters opposed to the regime felt abandoned by Trump, who had previously voiced support for them and encouraged public demonstrations. Those protests were followed by reports that thousands of demonstrators were killed, while Trump later said he had intervened to stop the planned executions of another 800 protesters.

Trump rejected the notion that the protesters had been abandoned. “We do have their back,” he said. He then asserted that U.S. actions had significantly weakened Iran, adding, “That country is a mess right now because of us. We went in, [and] we wiped out their nuclear [program],” referring to U.S. strikes on two Iranian nuclear facilities last June during the 12-day war between Iran and Israel.

After Trump again stated that Iran’s nuclear capabilities had been completely eliminated, he was questioned about the purpose of ongoing nuclear talks if the program had truly been destroyed.

In response, Trump claimed that Iran had attempted to rebuild its nuclear infrastructure at other locations, warning that such efforts would prompt further U.S. military action.

At the same time, Trump did not address reports that some nuclear sites were not hit in the June strikes or that the whereabouts of previously enriched uranium stockpiles remained unknown—issues that cast doubt on his assertion that Iran’s nuclear program had been entirely wiped out.

{Matzav.com}

The IDF on Tuesday released drone footage it says shows armed members of Hamas using ambulances to transport weapons and fighters in northern Gaza, accusing the terrorist group of systematically exploiting civilian infrastructure during the current ceasefire. According to the military, the footage was captured during what it described as “routine drone operations” in the […]

BREAKING: Iranian FM Araghchi says nuclear talks are scheduled for Friday, 10am local time.

Lawmakers from Yisrael Beytenu have submitted new legislation that would overhaul Israel’s Chief Rabbinate by replacing the current system of two Chief Rabbis with a single officeholder, Arutz Sheva reports. The bill was introduced by MKs Avigdor Lieberman, Oded Forer, Evgeny Sova, Sharon Nir, and Hamad Amar.

Under the proposal, multiple sections of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel Law would be revised. Among the key changes are redefining the position from “the Chief Rabbis of Israel” to “the Chief Rabbi of Israel,” eliminating the provision that permits two candidates to be elected simultaneously, and formally assigning the Chief Rabbi to serve both as head of the Chief Rabbinate Council and as president of the Great Rabbinical Court.

In the explanatory notes attached to the bill, its backers contend that maintaining two Chief Rabbis is no longer justified and stems from an approach that no longer reflects Israeli reality.

“In recent years, a public debate has arisen regarding the need for dual Chief Rabbis in Israel. In the view of many, this duplication is superfluous and expresses anachronistic concepts of separate representation for ‘Ashkenazim’ and ‘Sephardim,’” the sponsors wrote.

They further argued that demographic and social changes in the country warrant a structural update to the institution. “Now, after decades of the ingathering of exiles in the State of Israel, the time has come to adapt the institution of the Chief Rabbinate as well to Israeli society. Since there is no longer any substantive justification for maintaining two Chief Rabbis, the economic and bureaucratic savings resulting from abolishing the dual roles become an additional and significant justification.”

The legislation mirrors an earlier proposal submitted by MK Lieberman and closely resembles a bill advanced by MK Elazar Stern during the 23rd Knesset.

{Matzav.com}

NBC: 700 officers leaving Minneapolis. Did that come from you? TRUMP: “Yes, it did, but it didn’t come from me because I just wanted to do it. We are waiting for them to release prisoners, give us the murderers that they’re holding, and all of the bad people.”

Keith Siegel, an American hostage freed after nearly 16 months in Hamas captivity: “I am eternally grateful to you and President Trump for bringing me home, and for bringing all of the hostages back to their families.”

First Lady Melania Trump meets at the White House with Aviva Siegel, who was held hostage by Hamas for 51 days, and her husband, Keith Siegel, who was held hostage by Hamas for 484 days.

Diplomatic discussions scheduled for Friday between U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will not take place, Axios reported, after the two sides failed to agree on how and where the meeting would be held.

According to the report, Washington informed Tehran that it would not accept Iran’s requests to alter either the venue or the structure of the talks. The meeting had been set for Istanbul and was expected to include representatives from other countries, but Iran pushed for changes that the U.S. ultimately refused.

While U.S. officials reviewed the proposal to move the talks, they decided against it and delivered a firm response. “We told them: ‘It’s either this or nothing.’ They said, ‘Okay, then nothing,’” a senior American official said. The official added, “We want to reach a real deal quickly, or people will look for other options.”

After news broke that the discussions had been called off, U.S. officials told Reuters that President Donald Trump is now increasingly inclined toward the use of military force against Iran.

Speaking earlier at a press conference, Secretary of State Marco Rubio sought to frame the negotiations as pragmatic rather than symbolic. “We do not view these meetings as concessions or legitimization. We are ready to talk to any adversary or ally of ours,” Rubio said.

Rubio also outlined what Washington believes must be addressed for any negotiations to have substance. “I think for the talks to bring something meaningful, they must include several issues – including ballistic missile ranges, the nuclear program, support for terrorist organizations in the region, and their treatment of their people,” he said.

An Iranian official rejected that broader scope, making clear that Tehran would not expand the agenda. “The talks with the US in Oman will only focus on the nuclear program. Ballistic missiles are not on the table,” the official said.

{Matzav.com}