A history of security breaches at Mar-a-Lago since Trump's 2016 election

PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — Since Donald Trump’s election in 2016, his private club and residence in Palm Beach, Mar-a-Lago, has been the scene of numerous trespassing and security incidents — from unauthorized intrusions and unusual “statements” to repeated arrestable breaches and, most recently, a fatal armed perimeter breach. Below is an account of the notable events.

Timeline of security breaches

In the early hours of January 23, 2017, just hours before President Trump’s inauguration, a Clearwater woman sneaked onto the Mar-a-Lago estate. According to Palm Beach Police, Kelly Ann Weidman walked onto the property, smeared bananas on vehicles , dragged balloons from the Grand Ballroom outside, and typed explicit messages on a computer in the clubhouse, telling officers she wanted to “make a statement” being cyber-attacked. She was arrested and charged with trespassing before being released later that night.

Nearly two years later, on November 23, 2018, a University of Wisconsin student managed to blend in with a crowd entering the property during Thanksgiving while President Trump was in town, gaining access without authorization before being detained by authorities. The details of this episode were later referenced in discussions of escalating Mar-a-Lago security concerns.

On March 30, 2019, Chinese national Yujing Zhang was arrested after she lied to Secret Service agents and gained entry past the Mar-a-Lago security perimeter. Prosecutors said she carried multiple electronic devices and misleading credentials; a federal jury would later convict her of trespassing and lying to federal agents, and she was sentenced to nearly eight months in prison. In the same period, another Chinese national, Lu Jing , was arrested in December 2019 after refusing to leave when told to do so; she was later acquitted of the trespass charge but convicted of resisting arrest.

Since Donald Trump’s election in 2016, his private club and residence in Palm Beach, Mar-a-Lago, has been the scene of numerous trespassing and security incidents. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)

As heightened security measures evolved, so did the nature of breaches. In August 2020, police responded after three teenage boys jumped the perimeter wall and entered Mar-a-Lago grounds . During the response, law enforcement found an AK-47 in a backpack, prompting deployment of a helicopter and K-9 units before the teens were taken into custody.

In January 2023, a man identified as Joshua Cameron Warnock was arrested for trespassing after multiple attempts to get inside the estate to speak with the former president, including approaching a set of stairs leading to suites on the property. He was given a written trespass warning and later detained after refusing to leave.

As former President Trump campaigned and later took office again, trespass incidents continued. In November 2024, Zijie Li was arrested after repeated attempts to approach the Mar-a-Lago property, including attempts mere feet from the gate and returning after a mental-health detainment under the Baker Act. Each time law enforcement intervened, he was directed not to return. That same year, in December 2024, a California woman was taken into custody for repeated trespassing attempts over consecutive days as she tried to reach the estate in hopes of meeting Trump.

In September 2025, law enforcement arrested a Palm Beach woman who identified herself as “Christy Renee Trump,” claiming she was married to the president, at the Mar-a-Lago gate despite having previously been issued a trespass warning. The incident and her earlier attempts to enter the property underscored ongoing challenges for security personnel.

Just two days after Trump’s 2025 inauguration, on January 22, 2025, a man named Bijan T. Arceo reportedly jumped a wall around the estate , triggering a response from the U.S. Secret Service and Palm Beach police, who detained him and prepared charges of occupied trespass.

On June 3, 2025, a Texas man named Anthony Thomas Reyes scaled the wall into Mar-a-Lago grounds. According to the arrest report, Reyes told officers he intended to “spread the gospel” and “marry” a member of the Trump family. He was booked on trespass charges and held on bond.

President Donald Trump speaks to reporters at his Mar-a-Lago club, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Over time, the accumulation of these unauthorized approaches and breaches contributed to legislative action. Florida lawmakers passed a measure making trespassing in clearly marked law-enforcement security zones — including Mar-a-Lago — a third-degree felony once signage is posted, a change intended to deter future incursions.

The pattern of trespasses culminated in a dramatic security incident on February 22, 2026 , when an armed man carrying what appeared to be a shotgun and a fuel can breached the perimeter. U.S. Secret Service officers and local deputies confronted him, and he was fatally shot after raising his weapon in violation of orders, an episode that highlighted the ongoing risks at high-profile protected sites.

Because of the law enforcement expense of protecting the property and the president, in 2025, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw requested millions in funding to protect the president when he is in town. In February 2025, Palm Beach County commissioners approved $45 million to cover $13 million for expenses in 2024 year, and an anticipated $32 million for deputy overtime costs through November 2025.