A California man was arrested Sunday at Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes after authorities say he was monitoring security planning just days before President Trump’s arrival.
Jeanine John Taele, 38, of Downey, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to four charges. A judge set bail at $250,000, banned him from possessing weapons, barred him from the golf club, and ordered him to stay in California. His next court date is Aug. 26.
Plainclothes federal agents spotted Taele walking the grounds, taking photos and videos, and appearing to watch security preparations. Deputies found a 16-round magazine loaded with hollow-point rounds in his pocket. In his parked vehicle they recovered a loaded pistol with a round in the chamber and another magazine of hollow-points.
Taele claimed he worked for the State Department on a security detail. He was charged with possessing a large-capacity magazine, carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle, and possession of a short-barreled rifle or shotgun.
A search of his Downey home turned up an illegally modified AR-platform rifle, a 1911 .45-caliber pistol, an AR upper receiver, body armor, high-capacity magazines, bulk ammunition, two radio signal devices, and notebooks containing what investigators called “concerning statements.” Prosecutors also charged him with second-degree robbery from a November 2025 incident in El Segundo that was already under investigation.
The case is being handled jointly by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, and the U.S. Secret Service. Officials said no credible threat to the community has been identified, but the investigation remains active and additional charges are possible.
