Trees Get the Axe at Historic East Potomac Golf Course Amid Trump‑Era Revamp

The National Park Service has rolled up its sleeves and started a new wave of tree‑cutting at East Potomac Golf Links, the little‑known but beloved 106‑year‑old public course tucked just behind the National Mall.

According to a court filing released Friday, officials plan to remove “more than 500 trees that do not contribute to the historic landscape.” In practice that means the first 169 trees will go this Saturday, with another 90 slated for later in the season – a steady trickle that will eventually add up to the half‑thousand‑plus figure.

Don’t worry, the NPS assures us, none of the healthy, historically‑significant specimens – like the iconic cherry trees that line the fairways – will be felled. Those are being spared, at least for now.

The pruning is part of a broader renovation championed by the Trump administration, which envisions the modest municipal course transformed into a “championship‑level” venue capable of hosting the U.S. Open, the Ryder Cup or other marquee PGA events. President Trump has been bragging about the plan on social media, promising a world‑class facility that will put Washington, D.C., on the global golf map.

Local residents and preservationists, however, are not exactly cheering. The course has long been a democratic space where anyone – from office workers to retirees – can tee off without paying the sky‑high fees typical of private clubs. Turning it into an upscale tournament site could mean steeper greens fees and, perhaps, a loss of public access altogether.

That worry has already boiled over into the courts. Since February, the DC Preservation League and other plaintiffs have sued, arguing that the redevelopment violates the 1897 congressional act that created the park. Earlier this spring they even asked a judge for an emergency stop‑work order, fearing the work would begin before the lawsuit was resolved.

Despite the legal tangle, the Interior Department – which oversees the National Park Service – says the tree work is “carefully planned” and essential for restoring the course’s historic character. The agency adds that trimming will also improve sightlines toward the Washington Monument, the National War College, the Potomac River and the Washington Channel.

Good news for regular golfers: the course will stay open throughout the construction, though a few holes may be temporarily closed while crews do their thing. Whether the revamped links will ever actually host a major tournament is still a big question mark; venues are usually selected years in advance.

In short, the green is getting a makeover, but the battle over who gets to use it – and how it should look – is far from over.