Democratic U.S. senators are questioning the executive branch’s move to prematurely end the lease agreement with a nonprofit that oversees three public golf courses in Washington, D.C., The Athletic reported on Monday.
Sen. Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland wrote, per the report, “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.”
The National Links Trust was five years into a 50-year lease with the National Park Service to run Rock Creek Park Golf, East Potomac Golf Links and Langston Golf Course before the administration stepped in on Dec. 31. The administration reportedly maintained that improvements to the courses were taking too long and thus the trust defaulted on the lease.
Alsobrook added, “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.”
The other three senators from D.C.’s neighboring states — Tim Kaine and Chris Van Hollen of Virginia and Mark R. Warner of Maryland — backed Alsobrook’s open letter to Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and National Park Service acting director Jessica Brown, per The Athletic.
The National Links Trust said in a statement on Dec. 31, “The National Links Trust is devastated by the Trump administration’s decision to terminate our 50-year lease with the National Park Service. Since taking over stewardship of Rock Creek, East Potomac, and Langston courses five years ago, NLT has consistently complied with all lease obligations as we work to ensure the brightest possible future for public golf in DC.”
President Donald Trump owns more than a dozen golf courses spread from Lo s Angeles to the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates and numerous other locales.
He has been aggressive in making his name prominent in the D.C. area since he resumed office last year. The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts was renamed The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center For The Performing Arts, and he has suggested the Washington Commanders’ upcoming new stadium be named after him.
