WASHINGTON — President Trump has unveiled new renovation plans for the historic East Potomac Golf Course, announcing that the Washington, D.C., landmark will close for 15 months while the project is carried out.
Trump said Sunday that construction would begin Nov. 15 and transform the course into “one of the Best and Most Spectacular Golf Courses anywhere in the World.” His announcement made little mention of the legal challenges that have complicated the renovation effort.
“The current Course is old, broken, dilapidated, and of no further use or effect,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. He described the property as being in “very poor condition,” citing falling and dangerous trees he called disease-infested, as well as a “collapsing and hazardous seawall.”
Trump said the course was originally known for having few or no trees and offering unobstructed views of Washington, D.C. It is now, he argued, “completely overgrown, dysfunctional, and unsafe.”
The Trump administration’s plans to renovate East Potomac Golf Course have been entangled in court disputes. A judge temporarily blocked additional tree removal after more than 400 trees were cut down at the site.
In May, District Judge Ana Reyes ordered the administration to provide notice before removing more than 10 trees.
On the Friday before Columbus Day weekend, shortly before the close of business, government officials notified the court that they planned to remove “up to 529 trees.” By Saturday, roughly 430 trees had been cut down, prompting Reyes to schedule an emergency hearing for Monday.
After Trump published his Sunday announcement, Reyes ordered the government to tell her by 8 p.m. whether the rebuilding proposal had moved beyond the “preliminary” stage described in a court filing submitted Friday.
The administration is being sued by the DC Preservation League and several other plaintiffs. It is also seeking to have Reyes removed from the case.
Trump, who has frequently touted tournament victories at his golf clubs, selected renowned course designer Tom Fazio to develop the new plans.
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Earlier renovation proposals drew criticism from D.C. residents, in part because they appeared to eliminate public biking and running paths at the course, located about 2.3 miles from the White House. The 106-year-old park has hosted numerous races over the years.
The Washington Area Bicyclist Association has backed a petition seeking to protect Hains Point, a park and wildlife destination at the southern tip of East Potomac Park. Trump’s latest design, which he posted online, also appeared to remove those paths.
A photograph posted by Katie Zacharia, Trump’s former White House press secretary, showed a blurred map of the renovation plans on the president’s desk.
The East Potomac Golf Links and the District’s two other major public golf courses were previously overseen by the National Park Service and National Links Trust.
In December of last year, however, the administration instructed the National Park Service to terminate its 50-year lease with National Links Trust.
Trump said the United States Golf Association, PGA of America and PGA Tour had already been informed that the course would soon be “one of the Best and Most Spectacular Golf Courses anywhere in the World” and could be considered for major events.
Democracy Forward, which represents the plaintiffs challenging the renovation, has said it plans to “protect this community jewel” from what it described as an “unlawful and harmful intrusion.”