Police arrest man with ammunition near Trump golf course; say he was monitoring security
A man carrying ammunition and with a loaded pistol in his car was arrested on Sunday near President Donald Trump's golf course in the Los Angeles area, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. The arrest took place two days before a scheduled fundraiser at the course.
The man, identified as Jeanine John Taele, 38, was seen taking photographs and video at the Trump National Golf Course in Rancho Palos Verdes, south of Los Angeles. When officers made contact, they found a 16-round magazine with ammunition in his pocket. A loaded pistol was later recovered from his car.
On Monday, law enforcement searched Mr. Taele's home in Downey, a nearby city. They said they found a large number of firearms, magazines, ammunition, body armour, and notebooks containing statements that raised concerns.
Mr. Taele has been charged with several felonies, including second-degree robbery, receiving a large-capacity magazine, and possession of a short-barrelled rifle or shotgun. He also faces a misdemeanour charge of carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle.
In court on Monday, Mr. Taele pleaded not guilty to all charges. The judge ordered him to stay away from the golf course and prohibited him from possessing weapons. His bail was set at $250,000. It was not immediately clear whether he had legal representation, and family members could not be reached for comment.
The Sheriff's Department said that when deputies arrested Mr. Taele, he was already under investigation by the El Segundo Police Department for a robbery. The department also stated that there was "no credible threat to our communities."
The arrest came as Mr. Trump was preparing to attend a fundraising dinner for the Republican National Committee at the golf course. In a related context, a jury in 2025 convicted a man of attempting to assassinate Mr. Trump at his Florida country club.
