Armed suspect arrested at Trump’s Rancho Palos Verdes golf course in advance of president’s visit
Hours before President Trump was scheduled to headline a Tuesday evening fundraiser at his Rancho Palos Verdes golf course, authorities announced that they had arrested a heavily armed individual seen wandering the grounds Sunday.
L.A. County Sheriff deputies responded to the golf course around 3:30 p.m. Sunday after plainclothes federal agents saw a suspicious man taking photographs and appearing to monitor security-planning activities.
Deputies detained the man, who was identified as Jeanine John Taele, 38, of Downey. They found a loaded magazine in his pants pocket and a loaded pistol and additional ammunition in his car in the parking lot at Trump National Golf Club. They also determined he was under investigation for robbery by the El Segundo Police Department.
Taele was arrested on suspicion of carrying a concealed firearm and possessing prohibited ammunition.
On Monday, sheriff’s detectives and FBI agents searched his Downey residence and found an alarming stash of weapons — including an illegally modified AR-style rifle, a .45-caliber pistol, body armor, high-capacity magazines and bulk pistol ammunition. Detectives found multiple notebooks containing “concerning statements” and two radio signal devices.
The case was presented to the L.A. County district attorney’s office for filing consideration Tuesday morning.
The FBI, Sheriff’s Department and Secret Service are continuing to probe the incident and additional charges could be added as the investigation progresses.
Authorities said they had identified “no credible threat to our communities.” The president’s Tuesday event at the golf course is set to continue as planned.
“This case underscores the importance of vigilance, strong partnerships with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, and the proactive steps taken to identify and investigate suspicious activity before it can escalate,” the Sheriff’s Department said in a statement.
President Trump was aboard the “bridge” Air Force One en route to Los Angeles when the Sheriff’s Department announced the arrest. Trump is hosting a Republican Party fundraiser at his Rancho Palos Verdes golf course Tuesday evening as part of a two-day visit to California and Nevada.
Reporters are not allowed inside the event, where a White House spokesperson said the president intended to tout his wins in advancing tax cuts and securing the border, while denouncing the “radical policies of Democrats like Gavin Newsom.”
Tuesday evening’s fundraiser marks Trump’s second trip to L.A. since returning to office, with the first taking place in January 2025 when he toured the fire-ravaged areas of the Pacific Palisades.
Newsom used Trump’s visit to call attention to the fact that many residents in the Palisades and Altadena continued to wait for his administration to dole out wildfire relief aid, writing on X that the president has returned to L.A. “not to help, but to host a fundraiser at his golf club.”
Times staff writer Ana Ceballos contributed to this report.