Armed man arrested near Trump golf course days before president's visit

Published Aug 5, 04:35 PM UTC

California authorities arrested Jeanine John Taele, 38, at Trump National Golf Club in Los Angeles on August 2, 2026, days before President Trump's scheduled visit. Taele had first appeared on July 31, wearing an earpiece and filming the course during a Secret Service security assessment. On August 2, he returned and falsely claimed to be working for State Department security. Deputies found a 16-round magazine with hollow-point bullets in his pockets and a loaded 9mm pistol in his truck. A home search uncovered a modified AR-platform rifle, body armor, and notebooks with concerning statements. Taele faces federal charges for possession of an unregistered short-barreled rifle, a felony carrying up to 10 years in prison. The FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating, citing previous attempts on Trump's life.