Armed man arrested at Trump’s golf course ahead of president’s visit

Authorities in California have arrested a man who was seen near a golf course owned by President Donald Trump in the Los Angeles area, just ahead of the president’s visit for a fundraising dinner there.

Jeanine John Taele, 38, was found with a pistol and armour-piercing ammunition in his vehicle at the Trump National Golf Course in Rancho Palos Verdes, investigators say.

According to the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, he was “observed walking throughout the golf course grounds taking photographs and videos and appearing to monitor security-planning activities”.

The arrest took place on Sunday afternoon. Trump is currently visiting California to attend a Republican party fundraising dinner.

In a news release, the sheriff’s department said Taele was arrested after plainclothes federal agents reported a suspicious person to local authorities.

When police confronted the man, they discovered that he was being sought in connection to a robbery by the El Segundo Police Department, about 15 miles (25km) north of Rancho Palos Verdes, a wealthy coastal enclave known for its hills and scenic cliffs.

Authorities searched him and found he was carrying a 16-round magazine containing hollow point ammunition. In his vehicle, which was parked at the golf course, they found a loaded pistol, along with a loaded magazine containing hallow-point ammunition.

Due to the “potential security implications surrounding the incident”, officials obtained a warrant to search Taele’s home and found an “illegally modified AR platform rifle” a .45 pistol, body armour, high-capacity magazines, a plethora of bullets for pistols and rifles and multiple notebooks “containing concerning statements”.

“During the detention, deputies recovered a 16-round magazine containing hollow point ammunition from Taele’s pants pocket,” the statement says.

“Deputies subsequently searched Taele’s vehicle and recovered a loaded pistol with a round chambered, along with an additional loaded magazine containing hollow point ammunition.”

He was arrested for carrying a concealed firearm, and possession of armour-piercing or prohibited ammunition.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on X, external to get the latest alerts.