Trump administration moves ahead with East Potomac Golf Links overhaul - Golfweek

Even after a federal judge pushed back against President Donald Trump’s plans for East Potomac Golf Links earlier this week, the administration is moving forward with plans to close and overhaul the century-old public course. At the same time, National Links Trust is officially cutting ties with East Potomac and turning its attention to the other two historic municipal courses it operates in the District.

On Thursday, NLT announced it had finalized a new 50-year lease with the Department of the Interior and National Park Service to manage, operate and rehabilitate Langston Golf Course and Rock Creek Park Golf. The agreement was signed Oct. 28.

The announcement came one day after Trump’s Department of the Interior filed notice with the DC Preservation League that the National Park Service “will close East Potomac Park south of Buckeye Drive, including the Golf Course, consistent with the President’s directive” on Nov. 15.

The government also said it planned to submit a rendering Friday of the new 18-hole course being designed by Tom Fazio. That would appear to put the administration on a collision course with the legal fight surrounding East Potomac.

U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes issued a 70-page opinion Monday preventing further work at the course, where more than 400 trees were recently removed as part of plans to transform the public facility into a championship venue.

Reyes has said she does not intend to dictate what the federal government ultimately does with the property, provided it follows the law. Her order prohibited the administration from removing additional trees without first obtaining court approval and required at least 10 business days’ written notice before closing the course or making irreversible modifications to the park.

The Department of Justice has appealed the preliminary injunction.

The Nov. 15 closure is particularly notable because U.S. Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward previously told Reyes during a hearing that there “is no plan to close the course” on that date, despite Trump repeatedly saying on Truth Social that East Potomac would close Nov. 15.

Trump has made clear what he wants East Potomac to become — a “World Class” championship course capable of hosting events such as the U.S. Open, PGA Championship and Ryder Cup. Fazio has been brought in to design the new course, and estimates for the project have reached as high as $50 million.

Before the administration became involved, East Potomac was a 36-hole public golf facility with greens fees topping out at $48.

Tim Schmitt is the managing editor of Golfweek and the golf coordinator for the USA Today Network. Reuters contributed to this report.