Federal and local authorities arrested a California man accused of scoping out President Donald Trump’s Los Angeles-area golf club days before the president was scheduled to arrive for a Republican National Committee event.
Jeanine John Taele, 38, was taken into custody Saturday at Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles in Rancho Palos Verdes after plainclothes federal agents said they spotted him monitoring security preparations, taking photos and recording video on the property.
The Justice Department charged Taele with possessing an unregistered short-barreled rifle after investigators searched his home and found what authorities described as an illegally modified AR-style weapon.
If convicted, the federal charge carries up to 10 years in prison.
The FBI’s Los Angeles field office said Taele’s conduct near the course raised alarms because Trump was expected to appear there Tuesday.
Federal agents first noticed Taele on July 31 during security surveillance, according to court documents.
He was allegedly walking the course while wearing an earpiece and filming preparations for Trump’s visit.
Taele returned Saturday, prompting golf club staff to alert federal authorities.
He then allegedly approached federal agents and falsely claimed to be a State Department employee assigned to a security detail.
Investigators have not announced a motive, but authorities credited federal and local coordination with stopping the situation before it could escalate.
‘A potential tragedy was averted due to the exceptional whole-of-government approach in providing the very best public safety response to all citizens in this great nation that we are proud to serve,’ said ATF Special Agent Kenneth R. Cooper.
After his arrest, Taele allegedly admitted there was a loaded firearm inside his pickup truck parked at the golf club.
Deputies said they also found a 16-round magazine filled with hollow-point bullets in his pocket.
Authorities said his truck contained binoculars and a fake badge labeled ‘security protection agent.’
Taele was also wanted in El Segundo on an outstanding robbery warrant.
‘There is no room for error, particularly in light of previous attempts on President Trump’s life,’ said Patrick Grandy, assistant director of the FBI’s Los Angeles field office.
Investigators searched Taele’s Downey home Sunday and uncovered the allegedly modified AR-style rifle, which authorities said was not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
🚨 BREAKING: An armed man has been ARRESTED at Trump’s LA Golf Course ahead of President Trump’s arrival, after he was caught casing the property’s security systems
God, please protect 47 🙏🏻
“Concerning statements” were also found in a notebook upon the man’s arrest, federal… pic.twitter.com/pmDUkmaV9u
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) August 4, 2026
Agents also removed additional guns, ammunition, high-capacity magazines, body armor, an earpiece, two radio signal devices and notebooks containing troubling writings.
The case is being investigated by the FBI, the U.S. Secret Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Taele is expected to make his first federal court appearance later this week after he is transferred into federal custody.
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The arrest comes less than two years after Ryan Routh was caught near Trump’s West Palm Beach golf course with a rifle while Trump was playing a round nearby.
That September 2024 incident followed the July 2024 assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, where Trump was wounded, a spectator was killed and two others were injured during a campaign rally.
Authorities have been under intense pressure to tighten security around Donald Trump since those attacks.
The latest arrest unfolded in deep-blue Los Angeles County, where Trump was preparing to appear at one of his own properties for a political event.
Federal officials have not publicly said whether Taele intended to attack Trump.
But prosecutors say he showed up near the president’s golf club with ammunition, a loaded gun nearby, a fake security badge, surveillance gear and a trail that led investigators back to more weapons and body armor.
Taele remained in custody as authorities continued reviewing the materials recovered from his home.
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