MD senators seek answers over terminated DC golf lease

U.S. senators are seeking answers from the Interior Department over its decision to terminate the lease governing Washington’s three public golf courses, asking questions about transparency, environmental safety and the future of some of the District’s most historically significant recreational spaces.

In a letter sent Monday to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and National Park Service acting director Jessica Bowron, four Democratic senators hailing from the D.C. region said they were “seriously concerned” by the administration’s move to cancel the 50-year lease held by National Links Trust, the nonprofit that has operated Langston Golf Course, East Potomac Golf Links and Rock Creek Park Golf Course since 2020.

“The Trump Administration seems to feel they have complete control of our nation’s capital, Washington D.C., when in reality, we – the Senators of its neighboring states – know D.C. belongs to the American people and great people of the District,” Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, a Maryland Democrat, said in a statement. “The Administration’s ousting of National Links Trust in addition to dumping their new ballroom construction debris on the East Potomac White Course is just further proof of this Administration’s complete overreach.”

Along with Alsobrooks, the letter was signed by the other senators from Maryland and Virginia – Chris Van Hollen, Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, all Democrats.

The Interior Department terminated the lease last month, citing what it described as National Links Trust’s failure to complete required capital improvements and to address alleged lease defaults. National Links Trust has disputed that characterization, saying it invested more than $8.5 million in course improvements while working hand-in-hand with the National Park Service to navigate the federal permitting process.

In the letter, the senators asked the Interior Department to explain what specific violations justified terminating the lease and whether required notice-and-cure provisions were followed before that decision was made, noting that a notice of default sent to National Links Trust on Oct. 29 failed to identify violations or provide sufficient time to remedy them, as required under the lease.

They also questioned why members of Congress and D.C. officials were not formally notified in advance of the move and pressed the department to clarify its plans for the courses.

“The Trump Administration is attempting to rob local communities of these treasured recreational spaces,” Van Hollen said in a statement. “The public has a right to know what legal justification the Administration has for this takeover, as well as any public health and safety risks resulting from their activities on these properties.”

The senators further sought answers about the handling of construction debris placed at East Potomac, including where the material came from, whether it was tested for hazardous substances and what steps, if any, have been taken to assess risks to golfers, employees, youth participants and the surrounding environment.

“Decisions affecting their future – and the health and safety of the public – must be guided by law, transparency, and respect for long-standing partnerships,” the senators wrote.

An Interior spokesman said in a statement: “We don’t comment on congressional correspondence, but I can imagine there are much better uses of these Senators’ time such as bringing down the national debt or passing long term funding bills. That is of course what the American Taxpayer, their boss, would benefit from. While these Democratic Senators are busy writing letters that are merely a PR stunt, President Donald J. Trump is actively making life better and more affordable for the American people.”

The senators’ concerns come amid growing anxiety within Washington’s golf community following the termination of the lease, which has left the future of the city’s public golf system unclear. National Links Trust has continued to operate Langston and East Potomac on an interim basis while exploring its legal options; Rock Creek Park Golf Course remains closed, with renovation work halted and no clear timeline for resuming.

The uncertainty has been heightened by Trump’s expressed interest in East Potomac, the most visible of the three courses, which sits just south of the Tidal Basin. Trump has indicated he wants to rebuild the course, and people familiar with the discussions have told The Washington Post that administration officials have explored a broad reimagining of the property.

Speculation intensified when dirt from the nearby White House East Wing construction project began arriving at East Potomac three months ago with no public explanation. The large mounds still sit along the ninth hole of the property’s White Course. The handling of that material – and what it may signal about the administration’s plans – is a central focus of the senators’ letter.

Neither the Interior Department nor the Park Service has revealed plans for the courses. The Park Service did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the letter Monday. National Links Trust officials have said they remain willing to work with federal officials to resolve the dispute and hope to preserve affordable public access to the courses.

“It’s hard to believe that this is anything more than another Trump ego trip at the expense of affordable and accessible public spaces,” Warner said in a statement.

Rick Maese is a sports features writer for The Washington Post. He has written about the NFL since joining The Post in 2009.