Modified rifle, body armor, and prohibited ammunition: What was found at the home of the man arrested near Trump's golf club in California

A raid in Downey, California, uncovered an arsenal that included an illegally modified AR-style rifle, bulletproof vests, and bulk ammunition, after authorities arrested a man who was allegedly surveilling the Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes days before the president attended a Republican National Committee fundraiser at that same club on Tuesday.

According to Fox News, Jeanine John Taele, 38, was arrested last Sunday after federal agents in plain clothes spotted him walking around the golf course grounds, taking photos and videos while appearing to monitor security planning efforts ahead of the presidential visit.

The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department stated that officers from the Lomita Station responded to the scene around 3:30 p.m. and confirmed that Taele was already under investigation by the El Segundo Police Department for theft. During a search, officers found a 16-round magazine loaded with hollow-point ammunition in his pocket. A subsequent search of his vehicle, parked in the club's parking lot, turned up a handgun loaded with a round in the chamber and another magazine containing the same type of ammunition. 

Authorities arrested him on suspicion of concealed carry of a firearm and possession of prohibited ammunition.

The discovery led to a search warrant for his home, which was executed by detectives from the Sheriff's Major Crimes Bureau, part of the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force. Inside the house, investigators recovered an illegally modified AR-style rifle, a .45-caliber 1911-model pistol, an AR-style upper receiver, body armor, high-capacity magazines, pistol and rifle ammunition, two radio frequency devices, and several notebooks containing what authorities described as "concerning statements."

The case was jointly handled by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, the FBI and the Secret Service, which did not rule out filing additional charges as the investigation progresses. On Tuesday, investigators submitted the case file to the County District Attorney's Office for consideration of prosecution. Taele remains in custody.

Despite the size of the arsenal found, authorities clarified that there is no credible threat to the community near the club, though they emphasized that the investigation remains active.

Taele's arrest comes on the heels of several assassination attempts against Donald Trump, who has survived a total of at least five assassination attempts or security incidents since the 2024 election campaign. There is still no information on whether Taele was planning an attack, but the timing of his arrest and Tuesday's presidential event began to raise concerns about Trump's safety.