Court Battles

Preservation group asks judge to block reported Trump’s planned renovation of East Potomac Golf Course

Comments:

by Max Rego - 05/03/26 6:05 PM ET

Comments:

Link copied

by Max Rego - 05/03/26 6:05 PM ET

Comments:

Link copied

NOW PLAYING

A preservation watchdog group asked a federal judge Sunday to block the Trump administration from going ahead with reported plans to close East Potomac Golf Links for renovations.

NOTUS reported Friday that landscaping, deferred maintenance and tree-clearing work would begin on Monday at the course, located on Hains Point outside of Washington, D.C. The course will be renovated at a later date, with architect Tom Fazio expected to lead the project, the outlet reported.

The DC Preservation League and two residents initially filed suit against the administration in February. The group’s latest filing asks U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes, an appointee of former President Biden, to block the administration from dumping dirt, debris or refuse from the White House East Wing construction project at the course and from taking other steps to renovate it.

Construction crews have for months dumped debris from the East Wing demolition on East Potomac’s white course, with the orange pile sitting in the middle of the layout.

The Washington Post also reported Saturday that a top fundraiser for President Trump is seeking donations for a new nonprofit to fund the renovations at East Potomac, with renderings displaying a redesigned course.

“Despite attestations to the court, the Trump-Vance administration appears to be moving forward aggressively to shut down DC’s largest public golf course to explore another of the president’s pet projects to benefit himself,” Skye Perryman, the president and CEO of Democracy Forward, said in a Sunday release.

Democracy Forward is representing the plaintiffs in the case.

“We are asking the court to act urgently to save this important part of our national park system from being another casualty of a reckless administration,” Perryman added. “We are honored for the partnership of our plaintiffs in fighting back against this unlawful assault on our valued public spaces, and we are eager to argue this case.”

The filing marks the latest in a monthslong ordeal, after the administration in December terminated the lease that the National Links Trust (NLT), a nonprofit, signed in 2020 with the National Park Service to operate East Potomac, Langston Golf Course and Rock Creek Park Golf Course.

The nonprofit was just five years into a 50-year lease. Since the administration terminated the agreement, the National Links Trust has operated the courses on a holdover basis. Rock Creek, which was being renovated until the lease was terminated, opened for the season on Friday.

On Saturday, the NLT issued a statement saying the NOTUS report was a “complete surprise to us.” While the outlet also reported that the administration is offering the NLT a renewed lease for Rock Creek, the trust noted that it has not received such an offer and has no “indication of what the future holds” at Langston.

The Interior Department recently asked the charitable foundation of the NFL’s Washington Commanders to oversee Langston, according to WUSA9-TV in the nation’s capital. A spokesperson for the Commanders confirmed the request to the station.

Meanwhile, golfers can still book tee times at East Potomac, Langston and Rock Creek for Monday and beyond.

Add as preferred source on Google