GOLF.com: Trump Eyes Historic D.C. Course Overhaul, But Legal Battle Looms Before Shovels Break Ground

A Beloved Public Course Faces an Uncertain Future

On June 29, 2026, President Trump visited East Potomac Golf Links in Washington, D.C., and painted a damning picture of the Blue Course's current condition — calling it "dilapidated, worn out, and very dangerous." In a Truth Social post, he cited dead grass, a broken sprinkler system, and nearly unplayable greens as evidence that a full redesign is warranted.

Tom Fazio Tapped for the Redesign

Trump toured the site alongside Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and acclaimed course architect Tom Fazio, whom he personally selected for the project. The president declared construction would begin September 1, promising a course "designed to the Highest Standards of Golf" while also remaining accessible to the general public.

Legal Challenges Could Halt the Timeline

The path forward is anything but clear. East Potomac Golf Links is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and its current layout was designed by early-20th-century legend Walter Travis. The administration's plan — which would eliminate nine of the property's 18 holes and bear little resemblance to the Travis design — triggered a February lawsuit from the DC Preservation League and an emergency injunction motion in May.

A federal judge has already warned that "serious consequences" would follow if the National Park Service proceeds without court approval. The next hearing is set for July 2, and preservationists are pushing for an injunction that would freeze all construction until proper approvals are obtained.

Strokeslab Editorial Take

Beyond the political theater, this story raises a question that matters deeply to everyday golfers: will one of D.C.'s most accessible public courses become an exclusive venue with steeper green fees? The outcome of the July 2 hearing will likely define not just this course's future, but the precedent for how historic public golf spaces are treated across the country.