The Trump administration’s Interior Department sent a letter to the National Links Trust on Tuesday announcing that the federal government is terminating its 50-year lease agreement governing Washington’s three public golf courses, all of which sit on federal land: Langston Golf Course, Rock Creek Park Golf and East Potomac Golf Links.
The Washington Post said the move “throws the future of municipal golf in the District into uncertainty and clears a path for the president to put his imprint on one of the region’s most prominent public courses.”
National Links Trust, the nonprofit that has run the three public golf courses since 2020 (when the lease was signed), refuted the government’s assertion that it hasn’t fulfilled its obligations including required capital renovations, and has called the termination of its 50-year lease with the National Park Service “devastating.”
We are devastated to report that the Trump administration is officially terminating our 50-year lease with the National Park Service to manage and renovate the three courses. The termination is effective immediately.
Read more: https://t.co/yYsrg3jSps
— National Links Trust (@links_national) December 31, 2025
Kevin Van Valkenburg, Director of Content at Fried Egg Golf, responded to the Trust: “This hasn’t resonated yet outside golf, but what this administration is essentially doing is taking over a national park for invented reasons so that the Trump Organization can run it and profit from it. Imagine if Yellowstone suddenly cost $1,000 but mostly served lobbyists.”
Brendan Porath, host of the Shotgun Start podcast, also replied: “Hard to convey the minor miracle it was that a group with such deep golf course expertise and a national network of friends to help has been so invested in local municipal golf course management. Throwing them out makes no sense.”
Timothy Zurybida, Director of Agronomy for The National Links Trust who maintains the public courses, replied to Porath: “This is a travesty Brendan. Thank you for speaking last year in support of the renovation of Rock Creek. We just got the final permit from DC to start the work…2 weeks ago. This is shrink the game material. Thousands of future club members will now never pick up the game.”
With photos of East Potomac below, Zurybida added: “I’m happy with what we were able to present by mid summer. The team made monumental strides this season. Thanks for everyone’s words of encouragement this season.”
East Potomac Golf Links 2025. I’m happy with what we were able to present by mid summer. The team made monumental strides this season. Thanks for everyone’s words of encouragement this season. pic.twitter.com/SKh3kMkLYp
— Timothy Zurybida (@TZurybida) January 1, 2026
Former PGA Tour caddie Bradley S. Klein, a veteran golf journalist specializing in architecture and maintenance, chimed in: “This is a major blow to any restoration efforts. Horrible move by White House and Department of Interior.”