Armed man arrested at Trump’s California golf course ahead of president’s visit

An armed individual was arrested at former President Donald Trump's golf course in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, on Sunday, August 2, 2026, just two days before a scheduled visit by the former president for a Republican National Committee fundraising dinner. Plainclothes federal agents observed 38-year-old Jeanine John Taele taking photographs and videos, appearing to monitor security preparations at the Trump National Golf Club.

Upon apprehension, deputies found a loaded 16-round magazine with hollow-point ammunition in Taele's pocket and a loaded pistol with additional ammunition in his vehicle. A subsequent search of his Downey residence, conducted with a warrant, uncovered an illegally modified AR-type rifle, a .45-caliber pistol, body armor, high-capacity magazines, bulk ammunition, radio signal devices, and notebooks containing what officials described as "concerning statements."

Taele was arrested for carrying a concealed firearm and possession of prohibited ammunition. He was later charged with multiple felonies, including second-degree robbery, receiving a large-capacity magazine, and possessing a short-barreled rifle, along with a misdemeanor for carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle, to which he pleaded not guilty. Despite the arrest, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department stated that no credible threat to the community was identified.