Opening statements are set to begin Thursday in the criminal trial of Ryan Routh, the man accused of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump on his golf course last year. With instances of political violence on the rise, the trial is expected to revisit one of the most high-profile instances of alleged violence directed at Trump in the waning days of the 2024 election. Prosecutors allege that Routh put together a methodical plan -- including purchasing a military-grade weapon, researching Trump's movements, and utilizing a dozen burner phones -- to kill Trump based on political grievances. Hiding in the bushes of Trump's Palm Beach golf course and armed with a rifle, Routh allegedly came within a few hundred yards of the then-presidential nominee before a Secret Service agent spotted his ri

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