The Trump administration issued a notice of default to the group that manages Washington’s three municipal golf courses, escalating a behind-the-scenes struggle over who will control some of the District’s most visible public land and effectively positioning the president to operate its public golf properties.
The move could imperil National Links Trust’s 50-year lease with the National Park Service and clear the way for President Donald Trump to advance his own vision for redeveloping the courses, particularly the East Potomac property that includes views of the Washington Monument and for years has been a popular destination for tourists and residents alike.
The default notice, dated Oct. 29, did not specify reasons the group was in default or how it could remedy any concerns. According to terms of the lease, National Links Trust had 45 days to address any concerns, which means the nonprofit group could lose operational control of the East Potomac, Rock Creek and Langston courses next week.
National Links Trust pushed back on the administration’s stance, defending its work to rehabilitate the courses and noting that it recently began an extensive renovation at Rock Creek in Upper Northwest.
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“National Links Trust appreciates the President’s interest in the D.C. golf courses and looks forward to the opportunity to partner with the administration to improve these historically significant facilities,” the group said in a statement Friday evening.
The action comes as Trump has sought ways to put his fingerprints on the nation’s capital — from the Kennedy Center to White House facilities to law enforcement on the city’s streets.
“If we do them, we’ll do it really beautifully,” Trump said about the golf courses in an interview Friday with the Wall Street Journal.
What happens after the deadline remains unclear, and the future of the city’s public courses is now uncertain.
The default notice also lands amid unexplained activity at East Potomac, where in recent weeks trucks have deposited soil from the White House’s East Wing renovation onto the property. Neither the White House nor the National Park Service has explained the purpose of the work, and neither responded to requests for comment Friday night.
Administration officials have not detailed their intentions for the course or the broader D.C. golf system. Plans to overhaul Washington’s public golf courses were underway before the Trump administration showed interest, but recent activity at East Potomac stirred speculation among the city’s golf community.
The land is federally owned but managed by National Links Trust, a nonprofit founded by Washington-area course designers Michael McCartin and Will Smith. The nonprofit signed its 50-year lease with the National Park Service in 2020 to operate and restore the city’s three municipal golf properties, pledging to keep them affordable and open to the public.
The trust has enlisted some of the sport’s top architects: Tom Doak at East Potomac, Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner at Rock Creek, and Beau Welling at Langston. But a report last month deepened the uncertainty. Ed Russo, a Trump environmental consultant, told Front Office Sports that Tiger Woods was “on board” to help redesign Langston. In an email, Welling told The Washington Post that “TGR Design has not been involved” in any Langston work.
National Links Trust declined to comment, and a representative for TGR Design did not respond to requests for comment.
Trump also has been in contact with other course architects in recent months, according to people familiar with the discussions. Scott Sayers, business manager of Coore & Crenshaw, confirmed that the acclaimed design firm was approached about working on East Potomac but could not take it on because of other commitments.
“We were flattered that they asked,” Sayers said.
Trump also met recently with architect Tom Fazio, according to a person familiar with the situation, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter. Fazio has worked on several of the president’s courses, including Trump National Golf Club Washington D.C., located in Virginia, and Trump National Bedminster in New Jersey. Fazio did not respond to requests to comment.
Trump, who has spent decades building, branding and buying golf courses as part of his real estate portfolio — 16 presently under the Trump banner with more in the works — rarely has shown enthusiasm for municipal or public layouts. His properties tend to be high-end and exclusive, defined by steep fees, pristine conditioning and country club atmospheres.
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The recent outreach underscores how active the president has been behind the scenes, even as National Links Trust continues to carry out its own restoration work.
After five years spent navigating the permitting process, National Links Trust began construction last month at Rock Creek Park Golf Course. The outfit announced it had closed the course to begin “Phase 1 of our full-scale rehabilitation project,” describing work to construct a clubhouse, a maintenance facility, a driving range and an 18-hole putting course.
At East Potomac, however, the recent delivery of soil from the White House grounds fueled questions the administration has not answered. The dirt has been piled between the sixth and ninth holes on the nine-hole White course. Neither the White House nor the National Park Service has provided an explanation, and National Links Trust has not commented.
The lack of communication about the dirt has led to concerns about whether it contains asbestos or other harmful material. In a statement, National Links Trust said, “While NLT has not seen the test results, we have been assured that NPS continues to test and monitor the incoming material, and if anything presents a concern will take the appropriate action.”
A spokesperson for the Interior Department did not respond to questions about the dirt and any plans for the East Potomac course, instead offering a statement last month: “It’s truly inspiring to see this administration prioritizing D.C. beautification, all while being good stewards of our environment by reusing resources to enhance and uplift our community.”
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