GOLF.com: Tom Fazio Details Trump's East Potomac Renovation — Championship Dreams for D.C.'s Public Links

From 'Quick No' to 'You Were Right'

When President Trump asked legendary course architect Tom Fazio to redesign East Potomac Golf Links late last year, Fazio declined immediately — anticipating permitting headaches and friction with the National Links Trust's ongoing renovation plans. It was only after visiting the site in person, at his wife's urging, that Fazio reversed course. Standing on the man-made peninsula flanked by the Potomac River and Washington Channel, with the Washington Monument on the horizon, he called it "Pebble Beach quality land" and phoned Trump to say, "You were right."

The Political and Legal Landscape

The project has been anything but smooth. The Interior Department terminated NLT's 50-year lease in December 2025, alleging unpaid rent and underperformance — claims NLT disputes. On May 9, 2026, the administration announced a deal with Fazio Design for "immediate renovations," while returning oversight of D.C.'s two other munis (Langston and Rock Creek) to NLT. A federal judge has since ruled the administration may proceed with maintenance but cannot overhaul the course without proper approvals, and advocacy group Save East Po continues to push back.

Design Details

Fazio's preliminary plan envisions a 7,660-yard championship layout with meaningful tee variety — two forward, two middle, and two championship sets — ensuring playability for all skill levels. The first two holes will occupy the northwest corner alongside a 400-yard practice range and a nine-hole par-3 course; the remaining 16 holes will largely follow the existing footprint but with dramatically altered routing angles to create variety in sun exposure and strategy.

The historic pillar-fronted clubhouse will be preserved and refurbished. The new range will be oriented south-to-north so players aren't hitting into the setting sun — a detail that reflects Fazio's eye for the everyday golfer experience.

The Drainage Problem

The site's biggest engineering challenge is flooding. Fazio is still studying how to elevate low-lying areas prone to tidal surges and rainwater accumulation. Over 30,000 cubic yards of soil from the White House renovation have already been delivered to the site, but Fazio says bluntly: "It's nothing" relative to the total volume needed. Budget figures remain unknown pending environmental, engineering, and legal clearance.

Best-case timeline: construction begins summer 2026, grassing summer 2027, open for play spring 2028 — just under a year before Trump's term ends in January 2029.