WASHINGTON – The National Park Service has launched another round of tree removal at the historic East Potomac Golf Links near the National Mall, as the Trump administration advances plans to transform the course into a championship-caliber golf venue.
More than 500 trees that “do not contribute to the historic landscape” are expected to be removed during the rehabilitation project, the National Park Service said in a court filing Friday. The agency said the work will not affect healthy trees considered contributing features of the historic golf course, including its historic cherry trees.
The agency said crews will remove 169 trees beginning Saturday, while an additional 90 trees are scheduled to be cut at a later date.
The tree cutting comes as President Donald Trump pursues his vision of turning the course into a world-class golf destination. The project is part of his broader plans for Washington, D.C., where he has demolished historic structures, altered or renamed others and deployed the National Guard for more than a year.
Some Washington residents worry the proposed changes could fundamentally alter the character of East Potomac Golf Links, which has served people across income levels for more than a century. They say converting the public park into a high-end golf facility could bring higher fees and reduce access to public space. Trump has visited the course with a Cabinet member, a prominent golf-course architect and blueprints for the planned renovation.
“The National Park Service is finally implementing a 7-year-old plan to address tree overgrowth at East Potomac Golf Course,” the Interior Department said in a statement Saturday. The department oversees the Park Service and other federal agencies responsible for managing public lands.
The renovation includes targeted work on trees and other vegetation to restore the course, the Interior Department said. The effort is also intended to “help restore the course’s historic character and reopen views toward landmarks, including the Washington Monument, National War College, Potomac River and Washington Channel.”
The Park Service said it “recognizes the importance of trees to the park and its visitors,” adding that the carefully planned work is part of its required stewardship responsibilities.
East Potomac Golf Links will remain open to the public during the renovation, although individual holes may be closed temporarily while construction and landscaping work take place.
The 106-year-old public golf course has been the subject of a lawsuit since February. The plaintiffs, including the DC Preservation League, argue that the Trump administration’s reconstruction plans would violate the congressional act that established the park in 1897. The group sought an emergency stop-work order this spring, citing concerns that work on the course was about to begin.
Trump, an avid golfer, has promoted the project on social media. “When completed, this Course will have the ability to host Major Golf Tournaments, including The U.S. Open, The Ryder Cup, The PGA Championship, and other top PGA Tour events,” he wrote in late June.
It remains unclear when the course could host a major tournament, since venues for those events are typically selected several years in advance.
