Federal agents arrest armed man at Trump golf course days before president's visit

Published Aug 5, 04:35 PM UTC

On August 2, 2026, federal agents arrested Jeanine John Taele, 38, at Trump National Golf Club in Los Angeles, California, three days before President Donald Trump was scheduled to visit. Taele had first appeared at the course on July 31, wearing an earpiece and recording video while Secret Service conducted a security assessment. On August 2, he returned and falsely claimed to be working for State Department security. After detention, deputies found a 16-round magazine with hollow-point bullets in his pockets and a loaded 9mm pistol in his truck. A search of his home uncovered a modified AR-platform rifle, body armor, and notebooks containing '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 assassination attempts on Trump.