An armed man was arrested after allegedly conducting suspicious surveillance at US President Donald Trump’s golf course in California ahead of the president’s visit, police said.
Trump, who has survived several assassination attempts, is set to attend a Republican National Committee dinner at Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes near Los Angeles on Tuesday evening.
According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, deputies detained a “suspicious individual” on Sunday after he was seen taking photographs and videos on the property and appeared to be “monitoring security-planning activities.”
The man, identified as Jeanine John Teale, had a 16-round magazine loaded with hollow-point ammunition in his pocket. A loaded pistol and another magazine were found in a vehicle parked near the golf course.
Deputies obtained a warrant to search Teale’s home in Downey, where they found additional firearms, including an illegally modified AR-platform rifle, as well as body armor and two radios. The department said “multiple notebooks containing concerning statements” were also discovered at the residence.
Teale was arrested on weapons charges, the department said, adding that the ongoing investigation could result in further charges.
In July 2024, a sniper opened fire at a reelection rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, wounding Trump in the ear and killing a spectator. The gunman was killed by a Secret Service agent. Trump subsequently claimed that the perpetrator had been radicalized by Democrats and “the radical left.”
In April, a gunman attempted to storm the ballroom during the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner at the Washington Hilton in Washington, DC, but was detained before he could reach the president.