Donald Trump golf redesign brings tree removal to Washington course
President Donald Trump plans to turn a Washington public golf course into a championship venue. Crews will take down more than 500 trees to make way for the project. The National Park Service revealed the numbers in a court filing Friday. It is not clear when the course could host any major tournaments.
The agency started a new round of tree-cutting at East Potomac Golf Links near the National Mall. Work will remove 169 trees starting Saturday. Another 90 trees will come down later, the agency said.
The park service said more than 500 trees “that do not contribute to the historic landscape will be removed” during the project. It said no healthy trees that contribute to the historical course will be cut. Those saved features include historic cherry trees.
Trump wants to make the site a world-class venue. This fits his wider vision for Washington, D.C. He has torn down storied buildings, remade or renamed others, and deployed the National Guard for over a year.
Trump visited the grounds with a cabinet member, blueprints and a golf course architect. Some residents fear the project will alter the character of the 106-year-old public course. They worry an upscale redesign will bring costlier fees and reduce public space.
The course has served Washingtonians of all income levels for more than a century. The Interior Department released a statement on Saturday about the effort.
“The National Park Service is finally implementing a 7-year-old plan to address tree overgrowth at East Potomac Golf Course.”
Officials said the work will restore the historic character of the course. It will also reopen views toward the Washington Monument, National War College, Potomac River and Washington Channel.
The department stated the agency recognizes the importance of trees to visitors. It called the tree work part of its required stewardship. Individual holes may close temporarily, but the grounds will remain open during work.
A lawsuit has challenged the project since February. The DC Preservation League and other plaintiffs argue the reconstruction violates the 1897 congressional act that created the park. The group sought an emergency stop-work order this spring.
Trump shared his goals for the site on social media in late June.
“When completed, this Course will have the ability to host Major Golf Tournaments, including The U.S. Open, The Ryder Cup, The PGA Championship, and other top PGA Tour events.”
Major tournament locations are chosen several years ahead of events. The Interior Department oversees the park service and manages federal lands across the country. The public course sits on federal parkland in the nation’s capital.
Crews will continue the work in phases across the property.
