The Trump administration has awarded initial contracts for work on a plan to renovate the East Potomac Golf Links in Washington, D.C. Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA) announced the developments during a House Natural Resources Committee hearing on Wednesday, September 16, 2026. The representative stated that the National Park Service (NPS) hired a civil engineering firm for the project without a public announcement or notification to Congress.
The East Potomac Park and its golf courses were established by an 1897 congressional act for the "recreation and the pleasure of the people," with the first course opening in 1919. A lawsuit has been filed challenging the redevelopment, arguing that the planned changes would violate the original act that created the park. President Donald Trump has stated on social media that he intends to transform the site into a venue capable of hosting major professional golf tournaments, such as the U.S. Open and the Ryder Cup.
According to Rep. Huffman, a $389,355 contract was approved during the second week of September for Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. to perform environmental and historic preservation compliance work. The NPS has also posted an advance notice for a projected construction contract estimated at up to $49 million, with a formal solicitation date expected on January 31, 2027. This follows a previous agreement reached earlier this year with Fazio Golf Design to create renovation plans for the facility.
Local residents and a group of Democratic lawmakers, including Reps. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Glenn Ivey (D-MD), Don Beyer (D-VA), and Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), have expressed concern that the project will lead to higher fees and a loss of public space.
The project also carries environmental and legal implications, as debris from the demolished East Wing of the White House—which NPS stated contains lead and chromium—is currently piled at the site. The next steps include a deadline of January 31, 2027, for the solicitation of the projected $49 million construction contract. Lawmakers have sent a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum demanding all records related to the project as they continue to monitor the administration's actions regarding public lands.