It was a Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania, that felt like any other campaign stop until the world collectively held its breath. Honestly, if you were watching the news on July 13, 2024, you probably remember that chilling split-second where the former president ducked and the secret service swarmed. It changed everything. But then it happened again—or almost happened—just two months later in Florida.
People are still asking the big question: who tried to kill Donald Trump? It isn't just one name. It’s two very different individuals, two vastly different motives (or lack thereof), and a whole lot of security failures that kept investigators busy for the better part of two years. Now that we’re in 2026, the dust has finally settled on the legal trials and the FBI’s deep dives, giving us a clear picture of Thomas Matthew Crooks and Ryan Wesley Routh.
The First Attempt: Thomas Matthew Crooks in Butler
The first guy, the one who actually got a shot off, was 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks. He was a dietary aide from Bethel Park. Kinda quiet, really smart, and apparently lived a double life that his own parents didn’t see coming. On that hot July afternoon, Crooks managed to climb onto a roof just 150 yards away from the stage. He had an AR-15-style rifle that his dad had bought legally years prior.
He fired eight rounds. One of them grazed Trump’s right ear. It was a matter of centimeters. Tragically, a former fire chief named Corey Comperatore was killed while shielding his family, and two other attendees were seriously hurt. Crooks didn't leave a manifesto. No "I hate this party" or "I love that party" letter. The FBI eventually found that he’d been Googling everything from the Kennedy assassination to the dates of both the RNC and DNC. He seemed more obsessed with the idea of a high-profile target than a specific political ideology.
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The Red Flags We Missed
Looking back, the signs were there, but they were subtle. Crooks had been practicing at a local gun range and even bought a five-foot ladder from Home Depot the morning of the shooting. He flew a drone over the rally site hours before Trump took the stage to scope out the security. By the time a Secret Service counter-sniper took him out, the damage to the American psyche was already done.
The Second Plot: Ryan Wesley Routh in West Palm Beach
Fast forward to September 15, 2024. Trump was golfing at his club in West Palm Beach. It was a Sunday. Everything seemed chill until a Secret Service agent, who was luckily scouting a hole ahead of the president, saw a rifle barrel poking through the shrubbery.
That was Ryan Wesley Routh. Unlike the kid in Pennsylvania, Routh was 59 and had a massive digital footprint. He was an activist who had spent time in Ukraine trying to recruit foreign soldiers. He was vocal. He was angry. And he had been stalking the golf course for nearly 12 hours before he was spotted.
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Routh didn't actually get a shot off. The agent fired at him, Routh dropped his SKS-style rifle and bolted in a black Nissan Xterra. He was caught shortly after in a neighboring county. What makes his case so wild is the note he left with a friend months earlier. It literally said, "This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I am so sorry I failed you." He even offered money to anyone who could "finish the job."
The 2025 Trial and Conviction
Routh’s trial in late 2025 was a circus. He actually fired his lawyers and tried to represent himself. It didn’t work. In September 2025, a jury found him guilty on all counts, including the attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate. He’s currently facing life in prison, with his final sentencing set for early 2026.
Why These Attempts Changed Security Forever
Basically, the Secret Service had a rough 2024. The failure in Butler led to the resignation of Director Kimberly Cheatle and a total overhaul of how "line-of-sight" risks are managed. You don't see rallies the same way anymore. Now, there's a lot more glass, a lot more drones, and a lot more coordination with local police.
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If you're wondering about the "why," it’s complicated. Crooks seemed to be looking for a dark kind of fame, a way to go out with a bang. Routh, on the other hand, was driven by a very specific, albeit erratic, political rage regarding foreign policy and the future of democracy. Two different men, two different paths, but both ended up as the answer to the question of who tried to kill Donald Trump.
What You Can Do Now
Staying informed about these cases means looking at the official reports rather than social media rumors. If you want to dive deeper, you should:
- Read the House Task Force Final Report: Released in December 2024, it outlines every single radio failure and missed communication in Butler.
- Monitor the sentencing of Ryan Wesley Routh: His final court appearances in February 2026 will likely reveal more about his state of mind.
- Follow the updated Secret Service protocols: The agency now has a much larger budget for tech-driven surveillance, which is worth watching as the next election cycle nears.
Understanding the facts helps cut through the noise. These events were a massive wake-up call for national security, and the legal outcomes for those involved are still shaping the way we protect political figures today.