Washington D.C.’s three municipal golf courses’ future hangs in the balance as the Trump administration officially issued a default notice to the group currently managing these sites. The National Links Trust has operated East Potomac, Rock Creek, and Langston since 2020 and holds a 50-year lease with the National Park Service to rehabilitate this land.

Now, a battle for control brews over who will shape the District’s most visible public land and fairways. The Trump administration is making a claim through the Interior Department stating that the nonprofit is violating the deal and threatening to seize the properties. The renovation timeline of the National Links Trust isn’t fast enough as per the claim, putting the group in breach of its active lease agreement.

President Donald Trump told the Wall Street Journal that the group has a strict deadline, and they must address alleged violations by the end of the month to avoid facing immediate consequences. The president was blunt about his intentions during his recent interview regarding the situation. He openly stated his disinterest in working with the current management group moving forward.

“I think what we’re looking to do is just build something different,” Trump said, emphasizing his desire to “build them in government,” and “If we do them, we’ll do it really beautifully.” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum agrees, calling one course “in total disrepair” right now, and they want to restore it to the “finest municipal golf in the country.”

The National Links Trust was founded by Mike McCartin and Will Smith in 2019 to make golf affordable and accessible to all city residents.

The statement read: “National Links Trust appreciates the President’s interest in the DC golf course and looks forward to the opportunity to partner with the administration to improve these historically significant facilities. We respectfully disagree with the characterization that we are in default of our lease.”

And a report from Gabby Herzig and Brendan Quinn of The Athletic said, “The lease’s ‘Initial Improvements’ section, obtained by The Athletic, states that National Links Trust’s timelines are ‘general and subject to change due to compliance timeframes or other circumstances.'”

Words are one thing, but physical actions on the ground tell a different story. Recent unexplained movements at the most prominent course suggest the takeover plan is already in motion.

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East Wing dirt and a presidential vision for ‘the Blue Course’

The first sign of administrative takeover appeared physically on the East Potomac property recently. Truckloads of dirt from the demolished White House East Wing were dumped on the course. This unexplained activity stirred speculation among the city’s golf community in recent weeks. Neither the White House nor the National Park Service has explained the situation or responded to requests for comment from any outlets like The Athletic, The Washington Post, or The Independent.

According to sources, East Potomac sits at the center of Trump’s ambitious redevelopment attention. This 36-hole facility is the closest course to both the White House and Capitol Hill. Its “Blue Course,” a reversible Walter Travis design from 1918, offers incredible monument views. Trump sees limitless potential here, aiming to elevate this prime real estate significantly. And the real estate mogul, Donald Trump, has spent decades building and buying golf courses globally and currently owns 16 properties under his banner, with even more projects in the works, and has been in contact with a few course architects in recent months.

He recently met with a renowned architect, Scott Sayers. Sayers, who is the business manager of Coore & Crenshaw, said, “We were flattered that they asked.” But they couldn’t take the East Potomac project because of other commitments. Mr. President also met with Tom Fazio regarding these specific municipal plans. Fazio has previously worked on the Trump National Golf Club in Washington, D.C., in nearby Virginia.

The National Links Trust hasn’t been idle either. Despite the administration’s claims of slow progress, prominent architects like Gil Hanse, Tom Doak, and Beau Welling pledged pro bono services to help the NLT’s restoration. Work is actually already underway at the historic Rock Creek Park Golf Course. The course closed for construction on November 17 to begin its major rehabilitation phase. Crews are removing invasive vegetation and preparing the site for transformation. However, the default notice now puts all this work and planning in jeopardy.

And Mr. President isn’t stopping with the municipal courses, as he’s looking at military facilities too. He recently asked golf legend Jack Nicklaus to restore two courses at Joint Base Andrews. This collaboration aims to revitalize the ‘President’s Course,’ just 20 miles from the White House.

It seems the ‘Golfer-in-Chief’ is determined to reshape the capital’s entire golfing landscape.