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Sunday, Feb 15, 2026
Outside the box.
Lawsuit Filed to Block Trump Administration’s Redevelopment of Historic Washington Public Golf Course
Golfers and preservation groups challenge plans to overhaul East Potomac Golf Links, alleging legal and environmental violations
Two Washington, D.C., golfers and a preservation organisation have filed a federal lawsuit seeking to halt the Trump administration’s planned overhaul of the historic East Potomac Golf Links, contending that the redevelopment violates environmental and historic preservation laws as well as the original purpose of the park.
The complaint, lodged in U.S. District Court, alleges that the Department of the Interior and National Park Service ignored statutory requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act, the National Historic Preservation Act and the Administrative Procedure Act by failing to conduct necessary reviews before moving forward with the project.
The plaintiffs argue that dumping construction debris onto the golf course from other federal demolition projects and beginning work without proper oversight could harm public land and historic resources.
East Potomac Golf Links, part of East Potomac Park and recognised on the National Register of Historic Places in part for its role in racial integration in the mid-20th century, sits on land originally designated by Congress in 1897 for public recreation.
The lawsuit asserts that the proposed redevelopment undermines that foundational congressional mandate and risks diminishing access to a popular municipal amenity.
The legal action coincides with the Trump administration’s termination of the lease held by the National Links Trust, a nonprofit that had been managing and renovating Washington’s public courses under a long-term agreement.
The Interior Department said the lease was ended because required capital improvements were not completed, a claim the Trust disputes, noting substantial investment in course upgrades.
Critics of the administration’s plan warn that transforming the 124-year-old municipal course into a higher-end venue could restrict affordable access for local golfers, shifting the character of one of the few low-cost public golf facilities in the nation’s capital.
Supporters of the lawsuit describe the litigation as a defence of public space and historical legacy.
The Interior Department and the White House have so far declined to comment on the specifics of the litigation.
With construction having already begun and legal review underway, the case could shape the future of federal stewardship of historic recreational lands and set precedents for how such projects are evaluated and approved.
The complaint, lodged in U.S. District Court, alleges that the Department of the Interior and National Park Service ignored statutory requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act, the National Historic Preservation Act and the Administrative Procedure Act by failing to conduct necessary reviews before moving forward with the project.
The plaintiffs argue that dumping construction debris onto the golf course from other federal demolition projects and beginning work without proper oversight could harm public land and historic resources.
East Potomac Golf Links, part of East Potomac Park and recognised on the National Register of Historic Places in part for its role in racial integration in the mid-20th century, sits on land originally designated by Congress in 1897 for public recreation.
The lawsuit asserts that the proposed redevelopment undermines that foundational congressional mandate and risks diminishing access to a popular municipal amenity.
The legal action coincides with the Trump administration’s termination of the lease held by the National Links Trust, a nonprofit that had been managing and renovating Washington’s public courses under a long-term agreement.
The Interior Department said the lease was ended because required capital improvements were not completed, a claim the Trust disputes, noting substantial investment in course upgrades.
Critics of the administration’s plan warn that transforming the 124-year-old municipal course into a higher-end venue could restrict affordable access for local golfers, shifting the character of one of the few low-cost public golf facilities in the nation’s capital.
Supporters of the lawsuit describe the litigation as a defence of public space and historical legacy.
The Interior Department and the White House have so far declined to comment on the specifics of the litigation.
With construction having already begun and legal review underway, the case could shape the future of federal stewardship of historic recreational lands and set precedents for how such projects are evaluated and approved.
