A pair of Washington-area golf enthusiasts are suing the Trump administration over its plan to take over and redevelop the District of Columbia’s public golf system.
The lawsuit, filed late last week by plaintiffs Alex Dickson and Dave Roberts, argues the administration’s move to end its lease with the National Links Trust violates the Administrative Procedure Act, the National Environmental Policy Act and the National Historic Preservation Act, among other federal laws.
In December, the Interior Department terminated its lease with the National Links Trust, the nonprofit that had been launched during the pandemic to redevelop the capital area’s golf system, including a sprawling property on Hains Point in East Potomac Park with views of the Washington Monument and downtown D.C.
The termination came as President Trump has publicly floated plans to take over the property at East Potomac and convert it into a state-of-the-art 18-hole facility capable of hosting major championships and international competition.
“Allowing East Potomac golf course to become dependent on the whims of the White House deprives this community of what the National Park Service set out to accomplish with a long-term operator that can not only oversee sustainable improvements but do so with the needs of golfers with varying experience, skill levels, and economic means in mind,” Dickson said in a statement.
Under the National Links Trust and at East Potomac specifically, the D.C.-area golf system had gained traction as a model around the country for affordable golf catering to local residents of varying skill levels and access to the game.
Critics of the administration’s plans worry a Trump administration takeover of the property, as well as a pair of smaller pieces of land at Rock Creek Park and Langston, would drive tee time costs up and price many golfers out.
The White House has argued the president is committed to keeping golf affordable in D.C.
“President Trump is a champion-level golfer with an extraordinary eye for detail and design, and his vision to renovate and beautify DC’s public golf courses will bring much needed improvements that American citizens will be able to enjoy,” a White House spokesperson said in a recent statement to The Hill.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment the lawsuit.
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