Trump's DC Golf Redesign Could Remove 500 Trees
The National Park Service began cutting trees Saturday at East Potomac Golf Links near the National Mall. Up to 529 trees could come down in total.
- 169 trees come down first, with 90 more slated later.
- 529 trees is the agency's estimate in a sworn court declaration.
- The agency says no healthy historic trees, including cherry trees, will be cut.
- The course stays open, though individual holes may close temporarily.
Why it matters: Trump has said a rebuilt course could host the U.S. Open, Ryder Cup and PGA Championship. The administration still calls the overhaul a potential project.
- Residents fear higher fees and lost public space at a 106-year-old public course.
- The Interior Department says the cutting carries out a 7-year-old overgrowth plan.
How 9 sources split on this story
Where they split: The administration says the cutting is long-planned maintenance restoring historic views, while opponents say it clears the way for Trump's redesign.
Left coverage, 5 sources: The left frames the cutting as groundwork for Trump's personal remake of a beloved public course, with critics disputing the restoration rationale.
What’s next: Plaintiffs including the DC Preservation League argue the redesign violates the 1897 act that created the park. U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes declined last month to block earlier cutting.
- Tournament sites are chosen years ahead, so any major event is far off.
- Will the court rule that the redesign violates the 1897 law creating the park?
- How much would greens fees rise if the course is rebuilt?
- Would a major championship ever commit to the course?
