US police arrest armed man near Trump golf club before presidential visit

The incident took place at the Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes, where Trump was set to attend a closed-door fundraiser for the Republican National Committee.

Investigators are looking into whether the incident was linked to a possible threat against the president, but so far no evidence of an assassination plot has been found.

Armed man detained

According to police, the attention of federal agents was drawn to 38-year-old Jeanine John Taele, a resident of Downey. Over several days, he had been observed near the club, photographing and filming the premises and, investigators believe, monitoring security preparations ahead of the president's arrival.

During the arrest, a 16-round magazine loaded with expanding bullets was found in the man's pocket. Inside his vehicle, parked near the golf club, authorities discovered a loaded handgun with a round in the chamber and an additional loaded magazine.

A subsequent search of the suspect's home yielded several firearms, including illegally modified weapons, a large quantity of ammunition, bulletproof vests, radio communication devices, and notebooks containing notes that the investigation described as concerning.

It also emerged that the man had been involved in a separate criminal case related to robbery.

He has been charged with illegal weapons possession, possession of prohibited ammunition, and concealed carrying of a firearm. He pleaded not guilty in court.

Authorities stress that, at present, there is no indication of a credible threat to the president or the public.

Nevertheless, the investigation is ongoing, taking into account previous security incidents involving Donald Trump, including the assassination attempts in 2024, which led to a significant enhancement of his security measures.