A "heavily armed" man was arrested at Donald Trump's California golf course just days before the president was set to host a fundraiser there, and Trump remained defiant after learning of the threat.
Jeanine John Taele, 38, was detained Sunday by Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies shortly after he was seen taking pictures and observing security activities around Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles, according to the LA Times.
"The only thing I get a little solace from is they say only consequential presidents," Trump told Fox News when asked about the threat, referring to a hypothetical assassination attempt. "And I am definitely consequential." He went on to discuss his accomplishments in office. Trump made a similar comment after a gunman was apprehended at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.
Trump headlined a Republican National Committee fundraising dinner Tuesday at the club, which his family owns, in the Los Angeles suburb of Rancho Palos Verdes.
Suspicious individual spotted during security assessment
During a July 31 security assessment at the club ahead of Trump's visit, federal agents spotted a "suspicious individual" they later identified as Taele, according to an affidavit. Agents said he was walking through the golf course wearing an earpiece and taking pictures and videos of federal agents' efforts to plan security, before leaving the area and driving away.
On Sunday, two days later, golf course staff spotted him back at the club and notified federal agents, who were still there conducting a security assessment. Taele then approached the agents and claimed to be a State Department employee doing security detail on their behalf. He eventually admitted to having a loaded firearm in his car in the parking lot.
Weapons found in car and at home
The federal agents then contacted the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, which sent deputies to the club. Deputies found a loaded magazine in Taele's pants pocket, then searched his car and discovered a loaded pistol and additional ammunition.
On Monday, investigators searched Taele's residence in Downey, California, and found more weapons and ammunition, including an illegally modified AR-style rifle, a45 caliber pistol, body armor and high-capacity magazines. They also said they found several notebooks containing "concerning statements" and two radio devices. Taele was arrested on suspicion of carrying a concealed firearm and possession of illegal ammunition, including hollow point bullets.
No credible threat, prosecutor says
"While we are still investigating the motives of this individual, we are thankful he was apprehended before the President's visit," First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli said in a statement. "Federal and local law enforcement stepped in early and prevented what could have been a dangerous situation from occurring. This investigation remains ongoing."
A law enforcement source told the New York Post that Taele, who claimed to be a Marine Corps veteran, had been seen several times around the golf course over the past two months, though it was unclear whether he knew Trump was visiting. Police said that while the investigation continues, there is "no credible threat to our communities."
Taele also faces criminal charges in Los Angeles Superior Court stemming from the same incident. If convicted on the federal charges, he faces a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. He is also under investigation in connection with a robbery in nearby El Segundo.
Trump's California trip and Newsom feud
Trump is making a rare visit to California and Nevada this week to draw contrasts with Democrats on the economy, border security and crime, seeking to shore up Republican support ahead of November elections that will determine control of Congress.
Trump has faced multiple assassination attempts in recent years, most notably when he was shot at during a rally in Pennsylvania in 2024. A jury in 2025 found a man guilty of trying to assassinate Trump at the president's Florida country club. Most recently, an armed man tried to break into the White House Correspondents' Dinner while Trump was inside.
White House spokesperson Olivia Wales said Trump plans to "draw a sharp contrast between his commonsense agenda and the radical policies of Democrats like Gavin Newsom." Trump routinely mocks Newsom with a derogatory nickname, and Newsom taunts the president in turn.
Newsom wrote on social media Monday that California is raising its minimum wage next year to $17.40 an hour, more than double the federal minimum. "Donald Trump and the GOP are still defending a $7.25 minimum wage while workers scrape by," Newsom wrote. "Pitiful."
