'Trash Island' or DC landmark? How a golf course got Trump in a messy legal dispute

October 21, 2026

President Donald Trump plans to shut down East Potomac Golf Links, a 106-year-old public course in Washington DC, for 15 months of renovations to create what he envisions as a world-class tournament venue. Trump has dismissed the current facility as "Trash Island" and claims it is dilapidated with dangerous conditions, though regular golfers dispute this characterization. The DC Preservation League and local golfers have filed a lawsuit to block the renovation, arguing the accessible public course serves as an important community resource where anyone can play affordably without membership requirements.

Who is affected

Jourdain Yardan and other regular golfers who use the course multiple times weekly
Thomas Snow, a 70-year-old golfer and 15-year course user
The DC Preservation League (plaintiff in the lawsuit)
Two golfers from the course (plaintiffs in the lawsuit)
DC residents who rely on the affordable public golf course
The National Park Service (which runs the course)
The Trump administration

What action is being taken

The DC Preservation League and two golfers have filed a lawsuit to stop the planned renovation
Democracy Forward is representing the plaintiffs in legal proceedings
A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to stop redevelopment plans (with work stoppage in effect until at least October 26th)
The government had been conducting large-scale tree removal on the course before the court order

Why it matters

This dispute represents broader tensions over Trump's efforts to reshape Washington DC's longstanding landmarks and public spaces. East Potomac Golf Links provides rare affordable access to golf in the nation's capital without membership requirements, serving residents from all economic backgrounds at rates as low as $29 for 18 holes. The renovation threatens to eliminate this accessible public amenity and potentially transform it into an exclusive, expensive facility that would price out regular community users, fundamentally changing the democratic character of this 106-year-old public resource.

What's next

The court work stoppage is scheduled to continue until at least October 26th
Trump has announced plans to close the course for 15 months beginning in November (pending legal resolution)
Courts will need to mediate the dispute between the White House and the community before renovations can proceed

Read full article from source: BBC