Trump's Next Renovation: a Public Golf Course in DC

President Trump's public revamping of DC now includes a plan to make over a public golf course. The president announced over the weekend that his administration will move ahead in September with a renovation of East Potomac Golf Links, a century-old public course on federal land with sweeping views of the capital's monuments, reports the Wall Street Journal. "We will build one of the Greatest Golf Courses anywhere in the World which, importantly, will also be made available to the Public," he said on Truth Social, adding that it would be able to host tournaments such as the US Open when finished.

Trump's announcement came after he toured the course with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and golf architect Tom Fazio, who will design the new course. Trump described the current course as "virtually unplayable," though Golfweek notes that reviews are mostly positive, even if the greens and fairways "are consistent with a heavily used municipal course."

East Potomac is currently run by the National Links Trust, a nonprofit with a 50-year lease to restore and operate Washington's three public courses and keep fees low—currently starting around $9. The Washington Post notes that it was unclear whether work could indeed begin on September 1, as Trump said, because of necessary environmental and regulatory reviews. Legal challenges also are expected.