A 38-year-old man was arrested at the Trump National Golf Course in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, after being found with a loaded firearm and what authorities described as suspicious behavior days before President Trump was set to visit the resort.
Jeanine John Taele of Downey, California, was detained Sunday afternoon after plainclothes federal agents flagged him to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department as a suspicious person walking the golf course grounds, taking photographs and videos, and appearing to monitor security-planning activities.
When deputies made contact with Taele, they discovered a loaded magazine containing hollow-point bullets in his pants pocket. A loaded pistol was also found in his vehicle parked at the club’s lot. He was arrested on suspicion of carrying a concealed firearm and possession of prohibited ammunition.
A subsequent search of Taele’s home on Monday yielded additional weapons and materials that alarmed investigators. Deputies found an illegally modified AR-platform rifle, a .45-caliber pistol, body armor, high-capacity magazines, and ammunition. They also recovered multiple notebooks containing what were described as concerning statements, along with two radio signal devices.
The sheriff’s department said Taele had been under investigation for a 2025 robbery in El Segundo. He has been charged with second-degree robbery in that case, as well as counts related to the weapons found at the golf course. The department did not identify any direct threat to the president but emphasized the disturbing nature of the materials discovered.
The arrest came just two days before Trump’s scheduled visit to the Los Angeles area, where he held a fundraiser at the golf resort. Trump arrived by Marine One helicopter at approximately 5:07 p.m. local time on Tuesday, according to pool reports. Taele remained in custody as of Tuesday evening, with no attorney listed in online court records.
The incident adds to a growing list of security concerns around Trump properties. It also raises fresh questions about the protective perimeter around the president during domestic travel, particularly at commercial venues that remain partially open to the public.
NBC News – Man Arrested at Trump Golf Club. Associated Press.
discussion