Trump’s Erasure Campaign Reaches Langston Golf Course

January 2, 2026

The Trump administration has terminated the 50-year lease of the National Links Trust, the nonprofit managing three Washington D.C. public golf courses including the historically significant Langston Golf Course, which was established in 1939 specifically for Black golfers facing segregation. The Interior Department claims the nonprofit defaulted on its obligations, though the organization disputes this assertion and states it invested over $8. 5 million in improvements while fulfilling all lease requirements.

Who is affected

National Links Trust (nonprofit operating three D.C. golf courses)
Black golfers and the broader African American community in Washington D.C.
Local golfers who use Langston, Rock Creek Park, and East Potomac golf courses
District residents who access these public facilities
Workers involved in the halted renovation projects
National Park Service employees who partnered with NLT

What action is being taken

The Trump administration has terminated National Links Trust's 50-year lease
Renovation projects at the golf courses have been immediately halted
The federal government is taking over control of the three golf courses
Tiger Woods is assisting with the redesign and renovation of Langston Golf Course
Ed Russo (White House adviser) is leading the redesign effort

Why it matters

Langston Golf Course represents a critical piece of African American history, created in 1939 as a direct response to racial segregation that excluded Black golfers from public courses. The termination threatens not only a historically significant site but also raises concerns about access and affordability for the community that has sustained it through decades of neglect. The takeover fits a broader pattern under the Trump administration of asserting control over institutions connected to Black history and autonomy, while the president has simultaneously spent over $30 million in taxpayer funds on personal golf trips. The course symbolizes both historical resistance to exclusion and ongoing community self-determination.

What's next

National Links Trust is seeking "a path forward" to preserve affordable and accessible public golf in Washington D.C.
Tiger Woods and White House adviser Ed Russo will redesign and renovate Langston Golf Course
Trump has claimed District residents would pay lower rates under his control (though this promise is disputed by critics)

Read full article from source: The Washington Informer