<div id="readability-page-1"><div> President Trump is eyeing a takeover of the Washington, D.C., public golf system, but local golf officials and elected leaders are vowing not to cede control of the city’s affordable courses. The administration earlier this fall sent a notice of default to the National Links Trust, the local public-private nonprofit that has overseen and operated D.C.’s three municipal golf courses since 2020. The notice, first reported by The Washington Post, came only five years after the nonprofit signed a 50-year lease with the National Park Service, which reports to the president through the Department of the Interior and owns the land the three courses are built on. When the lease was signed, the goal was to redesign and renovate the historic sites where the courses sit, using money from private donors and the district government. The Links Trust’s mission from its inception has been to maintain affordability and access for D.C.’s local golf scene, a unique undertaking in an area known across the country for its elite country clubs and private courses, including one of the president’s signature facilities in Northern Virginia. The administration has not said specifically why the Links Trust is in default or how it could address concerns about its operating plans. Trump’s efforts are widely seen as a first step by the president to take over the courses for potential redevelopment and put his mark on the D.C. golf scene permanently — just as he did last week by renaming the Kennedy Center after himself. “These are historic, important public courses that have a rich history of affordability and access,” said Charles Allen, a member of the D.C. council and avid golfer. “It concerns me to have the Trump administration terminate the lease for, let’s be honest, made-up reasons. It seems to be about a grab of the land for the wealthy and well connected.” A source at the National Links Trust emphasized to The Hill that the organization is open to working with the administration to address its concerns. In its only public statement, it said it “respectfully disagree[s] with the characterization that we are in default of our lease.” “In the five years since signing the lease, National Links Trust has worked hand in hand with the National Park Service through the extensive permitting and compliance processes required for these comprehensive renovation projects,” the company said. The crown jewel of the D.C. public golf system is East Potomac Golf Links, a sprawling and player-friendly property that sits at the tip of Hains Point, offering tee box views of the Washington Monument and Potomac River. Greens fees, which can fluctuate at public courses based on demand and time of year, rarely top more than $50 for 18 holes there. That’s a price that is often less than half the cost of many other county-owned public courses in neighboring Maryland and Virginia. Trump, who owns more than a dozen world-renowned golf courses and resorts around the globe, has spoken openly about his admiration for the East Potomac property specifically, telling The Wall Street Journal in recent days, “If we do them, we’ll do it really beautifully.” “President Trump is a champion-level golfer with an extraordinary eye for detail and design, and his vision to renovate and beautify DC’s public golf courses will bring much needed improvements that American citizens will be able to enjoy,” a White House spokesperson said in a statement to The Hill. People familiar with the president’s thinking have said his vision is to turn the property at East Potomac, which is home to three courses including a short par 3 course catering to junior and beginner golfers, into a championship-level facility capable of holding professional tour events and international competition. Such a move would run directly counter to the Links Trust’s mission, critics say, and kill off what was supposed to be a nationwide model for affordable public golf in one of the country’s most densely populated metro areas where the cost of living is skyrocketing. “These are two different visions, one rooted in accessibility and history, and another on a high-end facility geared towards elite competition and fashioned in the architectural trends of yesteryear,” Andy Johnson, a golf journalist focusing on course architecture and design, wrote of Trump’s push. “What’s really at stake is the caretaking of one of America’s most valuable green spaces, and what happens to it over the next 100 years, long after President Trump’s second term ends,” Johnson said. Democrats who represent constituencies in the DMV are expressing frustration and annoyance over the president’s move. “Trump should focus less on vanity projects and personal vendettas and spend more time lowering costs for the American people,” Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) told The Hill this week. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), who led an impeachment of Trump during his first term, said a potential takeover of the D.C. golf system is further evidence of Trump’s push toward total control of the federal government. “That ambition is reflective of a kingly approach to his job,” Raskin said during an interview with The Hill. “He thinks government property belongs to him … it reflects the same mentality as bulldozing the East Wing. I haven’t heard anyone in the District, Maryland or Virginia say what the area needs is some Trump-run golf courses.” There is a widespread expectation among people following the saga that the fight over control of D.C. golf courses could end up in court. One source with knowledge of the situation told The Hill the Links Trust has retained legal counsel from two prominent D.C.-area firms as it weighs potential legal action, should the National Park Service terminate its lease. Another source at the nonprofit cautioned that filing suit against the administration would be a last resort. The Post reported that as part of its contract with the Links Trust, the National Park Service is required to give a written notice identifying alleged violations of its agreement and provide the lessee with at least 45 days to address the concerns. The default notice was sent by the agency to the nonprofit on Oct. 29. The Links Trust had not been served a notice of lease termination as of Friday afternoon, The Hill confirmed, leaving the organization to wait for the White House to make its next move. “We may be in a very difficult situation depending on which route the Trump administration takes on this,” said Allen, the council member. “I think our attorney general is going to be looking at all options if there is any recourse for the district. “But again the termination of a lease that everyone has worked on for so long would be really devastating.” <h2>Jocks on The Hill: Rep. Lori Trahan (D-Mass.) </h2> Rep. Lori Trahan (D-Mass.), an accomplished high school volleyball player who also played the sport at Georgetown University in college, answered a few sports-related questions for The Hill. Favorite team: “Right now absolutely the New England Patriots. We needed a good season. I’ve been going to Pats games my whole life.” Favorite sport: “I was always a basketball player. I didn’t touch a volleyball until my freshman year. All of my sisters played, and my father liked playing. It was an organized sport that was city wide and I loved it.” What athlete did you look up to the most when growing up? “I grew up in the ’80s and there weren’t that many women playing sports on TV. I really did look up to women like Flo Jo [Florence Griffith Joyner], Jacqueline Joyner-Kersee, Chris Evert. The 1984 Olympics in L.A. I was like glued to my television. And of course I can’t leave out Joan Benoit, she was kind of like New England’s marathoner.” Is there a team you hate? “No … no rivalry ever went so deep that I hated them … I love all sports. There’s nothing better than a great game between two rivals … I even like the Eagles!” What sports or politics cliche resonates the most with you? “You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take. I was taught at a very early age you gotta keep shooting, you gotta be aggressive. That’s how you win games and so that’s helped me just in life. If you don’t try for something, you’re never going to achieve it. You can’t be scared of failure.” <h2>Extra Points</h2> <ul> <li>Just hours after issuing an apology for promising on a livestream to do a touchdown dance that contained an antisemitic gesture, Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua had a career game, catching 12 passes for more than 200 yards and two touchdowns. It was a roller coaster of a week for Nacua, whose brother was arrested for allegedly stealing a car from Los Angeles Lakers forward Adou Thiero. </li> <li>President Trump on Thursday announced what he is calling the “Patriot Games” starting next year. It will pit top high school athletes from across the country against one another as part of a series of events to mark 250 years since the nation’s founding. “I promise there will be no men playing in women’s sports,” the president said. </li> <li>Ohio University fired football coach Brian Smith this week, saying he had a romantic relationship with a student and accusing him of public intoxication, among other misconduct. Smith’s firing came just days after University of Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore was fired for an extramarital affair of his own, news of which led to his arrest after he allegedly broke into a woman’s home and threatened her. </li> <li>The NASCAR world is mourning the loss of Greg Biffle, a driver who died this week in a plane crash in North Carolina, along with three family members. Biffle, 55, won championships in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, as well as numerous wins and accolades in the NASCAR Cup Series, and is considered one of the sport’s top 100 drivers of all time. </li> </ul> <h2>Read the Coverage</h2> <ul> <li>How did U.S. sports tickets get so expensive? It’s a good question that The Athletic’s Henry Bushnell attempts to answer as fans from around the globe express shock and frustration at the price of World Cup tickets in the United States. </li> <li>The 2026 NFL offseason is still a few months away, but as more teams get eliminated from playoff contention every week, The Ringer put together an extensive list of the top 30 NFL head coaching candidates ahead of the expected summer coaching shuffle. </li> <li>ESPN’s Mark Schlabach takes a look here at Pete Golding, the coach who was left to lead the Ole Miss Rebels through the College Football Playoff after Lane Kiffin’s controversial decision to ditch the school for a lucrative contract before what the school hopes will be a national championship run. </li> </ul> </div></div>

GOLF

President Trump is attempting to take over Washington, D.C.'s public golf courses, causing controversy among local officials and golf enthusiasts. The administration sent a notice of default to the National Links Trust, which manages the courses, despite their mission to maintain affordability and access. Critics argue Trump's plans for redevelopment favor elite competition over public accessibility, sparking frustration among local leaders and residents.

Trump’s attempted takeover of DC golf courses sets off controversy