Donald Trump Jr.’s Private DC Club Has Mysterious Ties to an Ex-Cop With a Controversial Past

Wired

by Kate Knibbs

February 19, 2026

AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary

Donald Trump Jr.'s private DC club, Executive Branch, has come under scrutiny for its mysterious ties to Sean LoJacono, a former Metropolitan Police Department officer with a controversial past. While the club's founding members include prominent figures like David Sacks, Chamath Palihapitiya, and the Winklevoss twins, corporate filings reveal that LoJacono is listed as the "beneficial owner" of the business, despite his absence from previous reports about the club's ownership. This raises questions about the involvement of lesser-known figures in high-profile ventures. LoJacono gained notoriety in 2017 after a viral video showed him conducting an aggressive search of M.B. Cottingham during a traffic stop, leading to a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union of the District of Columbia. Although LoJacono was eventually reinstated through arbitration, he left the police force and transitioned into private security, where he now serves as "Director of Security and Facilities Management" at Executive Branch. His role in this high-profile club, which caters to tech and crypto elites, remains unclear but adds an unexpected dimension to its leadership. The inclusion of LoJacono in a club frequented by influential figures like Sacks, who is known for his ties to AI and technology, raises intriguing questions about the intersection of law enforcement, private security, and high-tech industries. This connection may spark broader discussions about transparency in elite circles and the potential influence of individuals with controversial backgrounds in shaping modern tech culture. For readers interested in

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Originally published on Wired on 2/19/2026