Chocolate Drop: President Trump Wants More Control Over D.C.'s Municipal Courses, WSJ Reports

Talk about a Friday news dump.

At 8:21 p.m. on December 12, the Wall Street Journal published a major report about U.S. President Donald Trump's apparent efforts to wrest control of East Potomac Golf Course from the National Links Trust.

In 2020, the NLT signed a 50-year lease to operate and improve the three municipal golf facilities in Washington, D.C. The nonprofit group partnered with architect Tom Doak to explore the possibility of restoring certain elements of Walter Travis's original design at East Potomac. Also, as I noted last month, the NLT recently started the first phase of its ambitious, Gil Hanse-led renovation of Rock Creek Park Golf Course.

A few months ago, however, rumors began circulating that higher-ups at the Department of the Interior — including secretary Doug Burgum and solicitor general William Doffermyre — were encouraging President Trump to take a more active role in the management of the courses. Official news trickled out slowly. First, the Independent revealed that the President was "weighing" a potential "refurbishment and rebranding" of East Potomac Golf Course. Then, in early November, the Washington Post reported that White House was transporting excess dirt from the East Wing renovation project to East Potomac.

Now, the Wall Street Journal is telling the full story. Here are some key details:

• In a meeting with President Trump and a handful of advisers on August 1, interior secretary Doug Burgum first pitched the idea of turning East Potomac into a "professional-level course" named "Washington National Golf Club." Trump has since expressed interest in hiring Tom Fazio to carry out the work.
• In an interview with the WSJ in the oval office on Friday, President Trump did not rule out playing a direct role in renovating D.C.'s municipal courses. "If we do them, he said, "we'll do them beautifully."
• Trump added that if his administration were to take over management of the courses, D.C. residents would still, in the WSJ's words, "pay a lower rate than other golfers." It's not clear which "other golfers" are being referred to here, or how the administration could make such a guarantee, given the apparent ambition of Burgum's East Potomac proposal.
• The conflict between the Trump administration and the NLT is beginning to revolve around details of the nonprofit's lease with the National Park Service. According to the WSJ, administration officials have claimed that the NLT "is in breach of its lease because it hasn't made enough progress on the renovations." In a statement posted on social media, the NLT said, "We respectfully disagree 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."
• According to the WSJ, the Trump administration told the NLT that if East Potomac Golf Course did not accept the dirt from the East Wing demolition, the group would risk defaulting on its lease. The NLT acquiesced, but in recent weeks, the administration has moved toward a finding of default anyway. "The Interior Department informed the group that it had violated a lease provision," the WSJ reports. "Interior then issued a formal default notice, a move that could lead to the termination of the group's lease, according to the people. Trump told the Journal that if the nonprofit doesn't address the alleged violations of its lease by the end of the month, then the courses will revert to the Trump administration's control."
• The WSJ article notes several times that East Potomac Golf Course occupies a valuable stretch of Washington real estate.

I'm not sure where to start with all of this. Feel free to discuss below.