A Chinese national who was arrested after making multiple attempts to enter Mar-a-Lago claimed he had documents implicating the Chinese government in the attempted assassination of Donald Trump.
Zijie Li, 38, of El Monte, California repeatedly tried to enter Mar-a-Lago in a car and told Secret Service agents at the gate that he wanted to give them documents proving the Chinese government was involved in the assassination attempt at Butler, Pennsylvania on 13 July.
Mr Li first attempted to enter Mar-a-Lago at around 8pm on 19 July, less than a week after the shooting. Secret Service agents called the police, who issued Mr Li with a trespass warning and told him he would be arrested if he returned.
But Mr Li returned 11 days later, on 30 July, and was stopped on Ocean Boulevard near Mar-a-Lago for obstructing traffic. Police discovered that Mar-a-Lago was entered as his destination on his GPS system.
The next day, he attempted again to enter Mar-a-Lago and, after being turned away, was eventually apprehended at the intersection north of the estate.
He now faces a single count of trespassing and is being held at the Palm Beach County jail on a $10,000 bond.
On Friday, he pled not guilty to trespassing. The judge ordered him to have no contact with Mar-a-Lago, Trump or the Trump campaign.
Mr Li’s arrest is the first security-related arrest at Mar-a-Lago since the attempt on Donald Trump’s life on 13 July.
Security has been significantly increased at Mar-a-Lago and in the surrounding area, which includes the closure of South Ocean Boulevard.
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