Woman Charged After Trying To Get Into Mar-a-Lago
A Florida woman was arrested on July 7 after reportedly approaching the south gate of President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate while armed and claiming she had an “urgent message” for the president, according to police reports and court records.
Caroline Shaw, 49, of Orlando, was taken into custody on misdemeanor vehicle-related charges—driving with a suspended license and failure to register a vehicle.
Despite her presence near one of the most heavily secured private properties in the country, no charges were filed related to trespassing, threats, or weapons violations. Trump was not in Florida at the time; he was in Washington, D.C., during the incident.
According to the arrest report, Shaw parked her gray Mercedes van along Southern Boulevard and walked to the south gate of the Mar-a-Lago Club shortly before 10 p.m. There, she allegedly told U.S. Secret Service agents she needed to speak directly with Trump and admitted that firearms were inside her vehicle. A handgun was later recovered from the van.
Shaw’s legal troubles are linked to administrative violations. Her driver’s license had been suspended since April 2023 due to unpaid traffic tickets, and her vehicle registration expired in December 2021, police said. She remains in custody at the Palm Beach County Jail on a $2,000 bond and has pleaded not guilty.
Judge Donald Hafele, presiding over Shaw’s first court appearance on July 8, ordered her to have no contact with Trump or any of his properties, including Mar-a-Lago and its surrounding area.
Palm Beach Police also submitted a petition for a risk protection order, citing concerns that she may pose a threat. If granted, the order would prohibit Shaw from accessing firearms or ammunition for at least one year.
Risk protection orders, known as “red flag” laws, are permitted under the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act, enacted after the 2018 school shooting in Parkland. These orders allow courts to restrict firearm access to individuals deemed a risk to themselves or others.
While Shaw’s intent and the content of her “urgent message” remain undisclosed.