Chinese national arrested after trespassing at Mar-a-Lago

Florida police arrested a Chinese national on Wednesday after she allegedly trespassed and took photos at President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property.

Jing Lu, 56, trespassed at the estate and was asked to leave by security, Michael Ogrodnick, a spokesman for the Palm Beach Police Department, said in a statement. 

“She returned and began to take photos, at which time the Palm Beach Police Department responded and took her into custody,” Ogrodnick said, adding that authorities determined Lu’s visa had expired.

Lu invoked her right to an attorney and is being held in Palm Beach County Jail for loitering and prowling, Ogrodnick said.

The Trump Organization did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The president is expected to travel to Mar-a-Lago on Friday to kick off a roughly two-week stay for the holidays. He and the rest of the Trump family were not at the property at the time of the incident.

Lu’s arrest is the second instance this year of a Chinese national being arrested at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property.

Yuji Zhang was detained in March and convicted in September of trespassing and lying to federal agents.

She was detained March 30 after being allowed into the club, mistaken for a relative of a member. While she initially said she had come to the South Florida property to swim, once inside she said she was attending a nonexistent event for Chinese American business leaders.

Prosecutors said Zhang entered the club with a thumb drive containing malicious software. She also allegedly showed officers two Chinese passports as she sought entrance to the club’s pool.

Trump said following her arrest that he was not concerned about security at Mar-a-Lago, calling it a “fluke situation.” 

But the incident raised concerns among Democrats and government watchdogs who warned that foreign nationals might be able to use the president’s properties to gain access to him and his inner circle.