WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The man accused of trying to assassinate former President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty in front of a judge in federal court Monday. 

Ryan Routh, 58, faces several federal charges after U.S. Secret Service agents arrested him after spotting him at the former president’s golf club in West Palm Beach earlier this month.

At his arraignment, Routh was dressed in a beige jail jumpsuit. He was shackled at the waist and his hands were cuffed together in front of him. 

As he entered the courtroom, Routh waved to those seated in the court gallery, who were mostly news reporters, and seemed upbeat when his attorneys were talking to him. He answered “yes” when the judge asked him if he understood the charges he faces. His defense attorneys declined to have those charges read in court, and they entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf.

“It’s the formal entry of the non-guilty plea for a defendant, so it’s sort of what tees off the subsequent proceedings,” said legal expert David Haas, who has many years of experience as a federal defense attorney.

Routh is charged with attempting to assassinate a presidential candidate, assault on a federal officer, and three gun charges. 

On Sept. 15, a U.S. Secret Service agent scouting ahead at the former president’s golf course, reported seeing a gun sticking through the fence line and opened fire. The man allegedly holding the gun was later identified as Routh, who at first got away, but had been apprehended by law enforcement within an hour on I-95. 

Investigators say Routh was allegedly set up with a firearm within 500 yards of the former president. At that fence line, agents reported finding backpacks with a long gun, a scope and a GoPro camera. Federal officials say evidence appears to indicate that Routh had been stalking the former president for more than a month. 

A magistrate judge presided over Monday’s arraignment, but eventually Aileen Cannon — the same judge who handled trump’s now-dismissed classified documents case — is set to preside over the case.

“You have the former president — he was a defendant in one case that she handled, dismissed,” said Haas. “You have him now — the former president is a victim in this case.”

There’s really no interaction, but what you’ll really see is a shifting of roles where the defense before thought they sort of had a favorable judge and now the defense will think she’ll be more favorable to the victim, meaning Mr. Trump. And so she’ll have to be a neutral arbiter in this case as well or the defense will probably file some sort of motion for recusal.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced two days after the attempted assassination the state will also be investigating the incident.