Trump says construction is necessary, citing overgrown trees and safety concerns

Court recently rebuked administration over surprise felling of 500 trees at the site

President Donald Trump returns to the White House after a round of golf in June. [Getty Images]
President Donald Trump returns to the White House after a round of golf in June. [Getty Images]

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President Donald Trump said Sunday (local time) he intends to press ahead with the redevelopment of a public golf course in Washington, D.C., even as the project remains the subject of ongoing litigation.

In a Truth Social post, Trump announced that Interior Secretary Doug Burgum is working with renowned golf course designer Tom Fazio to build a world-class championship course on the current site of East Potomac Golf Course. He said the course will close Nov. 15, at which point restoration work based on Fazio's design will begin, with the new course set to open in about 15 months.

Trump said the completed redevelopment would allow the site to host world-class golf tournaments and generate jobs and economic benefits.

A view of East Potomac Golf Course, which opened in 1921 along the Potomac River on the southwest side of Washington, D.C. [AFP]
A view of East Potomac Golf Course, which opened in 1921 along the Potomac River on the southwest side of Washington, D.C. [AFP]

East Potomac Golf Course, which opened in 1921 along the Potomac River on the southwest side of Washington, D.C., has long been popular for its affordable fees. Trump, a golf enthusiast and former real estate developer, has been pushing to redevelop the site since returning to office for his second term.

The dispute began when the Trump administration unilaterally terminated a 50-year lease signed in 2020 with the National Links Trust, a nonprofit that operates the course. Historic preservation groups and others filed a lawsuit in February, demanding that construction be halted until the Interior Department completed mandatory environmental and health assessments it had skipped, and that the lease termination be blocked. Trump's post appears to formalize his intention to proceed with construction despite the case still being before the court.

The Interior Department notified the court of its tree-clearing plans on Oct. 9, then carried out the work the following day, felling around 500 trees. US District Judge Ana Reyes sharply rebuked the Trump administration on Tuesday, saying the notice had come far too late, and ordered a halt to the tree removal and all construction through Oct. 26.

In his post, Trump said the course's current condition was "old, broken down, in a state of disrepair, no longer functional or effective," and insisted the redevelopment was necessary.

He said the site was in poor shape due to "dangerous, diseased trees that are ready to fall" and, above all, a seawall on the verge of collapse. He added that the course was once known for its open views of Washington, D.C. — because there were no trees when it was first built — but that the trees had since grown out of control, leaving the site both dysfunctional and unsafe.


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