A Chinese citizen, Zijie Li, 39, has been arrested for attempting to enter Mar-a-Lago, the Florida residence of President-elect Trump, multiple times over the past few months. Li's repeated attempts to gain access to the Palm Beach club were in an effort to speak with Trump, according to an arrest affidavit.
Li faces a second trespass charge after being issued a warning, in addition to a pending charge he received in July. He is currently held in the Palm Beach County Main Detention Center on $100,000 bail, as per jail records.
The Palm Beach Police Department, in coordination with the United States Secret Service, expressed concerns about Li's persistent attempts to contact the President-elect. They warned that further incidents involving Li could lead to an escalation of enforcement measures.
Li's initial attempt to enter Mar-a-Lago on July 19 was met with heightened security following an assassination attempt on Trump in Pennsylvania. Li claimed to have information implicating China in the assassination attempt and wanted to leave documents with the Secret Service.
Despite being issued a trespass warning, Li visited Palm Beach multiple times and engaged in suspicious behavior near Mar-a-Lago. On one occasion, he was seen placing paperwork about Trump on vehicles in the area.
Li's actions raised concerns among residents, leading to his arrest after he asked a local to help him gain entry to the club. Following this incident, Li was detained under Florida's Baker Act for mental health evaluation.
Upon his release, Li returned to Mar-a-Lago and was promptly arrested. It was revealed that Li was in the U.S. on a student visa from California.
