Man arrested at Trump National Golf Club visited grounds twice ahead of president's visit: DOJ
A man taken into custody at the Trump National Golf Club in Los Angeles County over the weekend visited the grounds twice while a security assessment was underway ahead of President Donald Trump's visit to the site, according to a Department of Justice complaint, which said the suspect took photos and videos of the security-planning activities and claimed to work for the State Department.
The suspect -- 38-year-old Jeanine John Taele of Downey, California -- allegedly had ammunition in his pocket and a loaded pistol in his pickup truck, authorities said.
An undated photo of Jeanine John Taele, 38, of Downey, California, which was released by the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026.
Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California
Following his arrest on Sunday, authorities found more firearms, including an illegally modified AR-platform rifle, and "multiple notebooks containing concerning statements" at the suspect's residence, a federal criminal complaint alleges.
The "troubling behavior" occurred days before Trump visited the Rancho Palos Verdes property for a Republican National Committee dinner, the FBI said.
According to the complaint, Taele visited the course on Friday while a security assessment was being conducted ahead of Trump's Tuesday visit. Federal agents saw a "suspicious individual" later identified as Taele "walking throughout the golf course at the Trump Golf Club, wearing an earpiece, and taking photographs and videos of the federal agents' security-planning activities, among other things," the complaint stated.
On Sunday, Taele returned to the golf club and allegedly told federal agents that he was employed by the State Department and was "at the location for a security detail," and that he had a loaded firearm in his car in the parking lot, according to the complaint.
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department deputies responded and, after learning through law enforcement databases that Taele was wanted for robbery in El Segundo, detained him and conducted a pat-down search, according to the complaint.
"During this pat-down search, LASD deputies found a 16-round magazine containing hollow point ammunition in the pocket of Taele's pants," the complaint stated.
A loaded 9mm pistol with a loaded magazine containing hollow-point ammunition, binoculars and a badge that read "security protection agent" were also found in his vehicle, according to the complaint.