Ahead of Trump’s SoCal visit, heavily armed Downey man arrested at Trump Golf Course

An armed man, said to be monitoring “security-planning activities,” was arrested Sunday with a cache of weapons and body armor outside Trump National Golf Course Los Angeles — just two days before the president’s visit.

Jeanine John Taele, 38, from Downey, Calif., was taken into custody outside the Rancho Palos Verdes site by plainclothes FBI agents after they spotted his suspicious activity.

They found him with an illegally modified AR platform rifle, two radio signal devices, a 1911 .45 caliber pistol, an AR platform upper receiver, body armor, high-capacity magazines, bulk pistol and rifle ammunition, and multiple notebooks containing concerning statements.

Lomita Sheriff’s Station deputies responded to the golf course at approximately 3:28 p.m. on Aug. 2, 2026, after plainclothes federal agents spotted a suspicious individual walking the grounds, taking photos and videos, and monitoring security-planning activities.

Deputies made contact with Taele and learned he was actively under investigation for robbery by the El Segundo Police Department. During a pat-down, deputies recovered a 16-round magazine containing hollow-point ammunition from Taele’s pants pocket.

A subsequent search of his vehicle in the golf course parking lot revealed a loaded pistol with a round chambered, along with an additional loaded magazine with hollow-point rounds.

Taele was arrested for carrying a concealed firearm and possession of prohibited ammunition.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department confirmed the arrest occurred on Sunday and that detectives from the Sheriff’s Department Major Crimes Bureau assigned to the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) executed a search warrant at Taele’s Downey home on Monday.

The case was presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office with additional charges pending as the joint investigation continues alongside the FBI and United States Secret Service.

Officials confirmed that while the investigation remains active, law enforcement has identified no current credible threat to the surrounding communities.

President Donald Trump will be arriving in the Los Angeles area Tuesday evening to tout his administration’s economic record, border policies and public safety initiatives — and maybe take a few jabs at Gov. Gavin Newsom.

The president is set to attend a Republican National Committee fundraising dinner held at Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes before flying off to Nevada for the next day.

During his visit, Trump plans to highlight his achievements and contrast that with California policies.

“President Trump will visit California on Tuesday to tout his wins for the people of the Golden State despite failed Democrat leadership: the largest middle-class tax cut ever, the most secure border in American history, and a plummeting crime rate,” White House spokesperson Olivia Wales told The Post.

The spokesperson specifically called out Newsom by name, accusing him of “raising taxes, inviting rampant fraud in taxpayer-funded programs, and protecting illegal immigrant drug dealers, rapists, and murderers.”

Newsom, who is expected to launch a 2028 presidential bid, has been a frequent critic of Trump and vice versa. The governor himself is under a federal probe by the Department of Justice.

“Donald Trump is coming to Los Angeles County to raise money while wildfire survivors are still waiting for the federal recovery funding he promised 18 months ago.

“Californians deserve a president focused on helping families rebuild — not raising money for himself at his golf course,” Newsom’s office said in a statement.

In a post Monday night, Newsom’s office tried to counter ahead of time any potential attacks from Trump’s speech, claiming crime was down in the state or that fraud was being rooted out.

Trump’s last official California stop was in January 2025 following the devastating Palisades and Eaton fires.

The president left Washington, DC around 12:30 p.m. Pacific Time and is expected to arrive in Southern California by early Tuesday evening ahead of the RNC roundtable, which is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

A reception will follow at 7:00 p.m.

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