Fox News has revealed the name of the man who was arrested while taking photos and monitoring security preparations at Trump National Golf Club in Los Angeles on Sunday. Deputies found hollow-point ammunition in Jeanine John Taele's pocket, along with an illegally modified rifle, body armor, and a "concerning" notebook at his home.
JUST IN: 38-year-old Jeanine John Taele was arrested at Trump National Golf Club after federal agents allegedly spotted him photographing the grounds and monitoring security preparations ahead of President Trump’s visit.
— Fox News (@FoxNews) August 5, 2026
Deputies said they found hollow-point ammunition in his… pic.twitter.com/xbdK2fCwgY
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… pocket, then discovered a loaded pistol with a round chambered inside his vehicle.
A search of his home later turned up an illegally modified AR-platform rifle, body armor, high-capacity magazines, ammunition and notebooks containing what investigators called “concerning statements.”
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, Secret Service and local authorities launched an investigation.
Jeanine? That name is causing a lot of speculation.
F.A. United States Attorney Bill Essayli has more:
Jeanine John Taele, 38, of Downey, who was arrested at Trump National Golf Course Los Angeles in Rancho Palos Verdes, is charged in a federal criminal complaint with possession of an unregistered short-barreled rifle, a felony carrying a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in… pic.twitter.com/oY3ISp8n6x
— F.A. United States Attorney Bill Essayli (@USAttyEssayli) August 5, 2026
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… federal prison.
Taele was detained after being seen taking photos and video of security-planning activities ahead of President Trump’s visit to the golf club today.
LASD deputies found ammunition in Taele’s pocket, searched his vehicle, and seized a loaded pistol with a round chambered and a loaded magazine.
A search of Taele’s residence seized high-powered firearms, ammunition, body armor, and a notebook.
Taele is charged in Los Angeles Superior Court with firearms-related crimes and a 2025 robbery. He was granted $250,000 bail in that case.
He is expected to make his initial appearance in the United States District Court in Los Angeles soon after his transfer to federal custody.
While we are still investigating this individual’s motives, we are thankful he was apprehended before the President’s visit. The @FBILosAngeles, @LosAngelesATF, @SecretService, and @LASDHQ intervened early and prevented a potentially dangerous situation. We thank them for their quick work.
This remains an active investigation.
Correction: 10 years is the statutory maximum sentence, not the minimum.
— F.A. United States Attorney Bill Essayli (@USAttyEssayli) August 5, 2026
President Donald Trump seemed unfazed, telling Fox News that he took solace in knowing that "only consequential presidents" get these sorts of threats before turning his attention to negotiations with Iran.
🚨 BREAKING: President Trump, speaking from his Los Angeles Golf Course, is TOTALLY brushing off the potential assassin arrested there prior to his arrival
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) August 5, 2026
What a LEGEND. 47 will NOT be terrorized into submission 🔥
"The only thing I get a little solace from is they say 'only… pic.twitter.com/xniLWCxSvj
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… consequential presidents' [get these threats]. And I am DEFINITELY consequential."
When it’s a regular occurrence, it becomes a daily routine.
— Red Watch USA (@RedWatchUSA) August 5, 2026
He knows they’re out for him.
You either hide the rest of your life or make it your mission to finish the job.
47 is fearless 🇺🇸
Sadly, assassination attempts on our president are just all too common.
— Laura Lee (@Doven1988) August 5, 2026
That’s what real leadership looks like.
— SeekingtheTruth (@punisher7952) August 5, 2026
Threats don’t rattle a man who’s already lived through assassination attempts and still shows up.
47 is built different. Consequential presidents get targeted for a reason. 🇺🇸
About half of the replies to Nick Sortor's post suggest that the reason that Trump seemed so unfazed is that it was all a setup, just like the "alleged" assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania. A father died shielding his family from gunfire, and a lot of people still insist that was staged.
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