Armed Man Arrested at Trump’s California Golf Club Days Before Planned Visit

Los Angeles County authorities announced Wednesday that they arrested an armed man who was reportedly seen monitoring security preparations at President Donald Trump’s National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes shortly before his planned visit there. The arrest took place Sunday, one day before it was officially announced that Trump was expected to attend a Republican National Committee dinner at the club this week.

According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, federal agents in plain clothes spotted a man who appeared to be taking photos and videos of the golf club grounds while monitoring the activity of security personnel at the site. After he was identified as a suspicious individual, sheriff’s deputies were called to the scene and arrested the suspect, 38-year-old Janin John Taily of Downey, California.

During a search of Taily, authorities found a magazine containing 16 rounds of ammunition in his pants pocket. A search of his vehicle uncovered a loaded handgun with a round already in the chamber, along with another loaded magazine. The day after the arrest, investigators expanded their inquiry and searched Taily’s home, where they seized additional firearms, ammunition, a protective vest, two radios, and “several notebooks containing concerning statements.”

Following the findings, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California filed a criminal complaint against Taily for possession of an unregistered short-barreled rifle, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison. The suspect is being held on $250,000 bail and is expected to appear in court on August 26.

Meanwhile, the FBI, the U.S. Secret Service, and the Joint Terrorism Task Force are continuing to investigate the circumstances of the incident and the suspect’s motives. Although the investigation remains ongoing, authorities said that at this stage, no credible threat to the public has been identified.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli addressed the arrest: “As we investigate this individual’s motives, we are grateful that he was arrested before the president’s visit. Federal and local law enforcement intervened early and prevented what could have been a dangerous situation from unfolding. This investigation is ongoing.”