Trump administration ends golf lease in DC; is takeover next?

The Trump administration on Tuesday ended a lease agreement with a nonprofit to oversee a trio of public golf courses in Washington, D.C., potentially clearing the way for President Donald Trump to continue to remake the look of the nation's capital.

The lease, a 50-year agreement signed five years ago between the National Links Trust and the National Park Service, put the trust in charge of Rock Creek Park Golf, East Potomac Golf Links and Langston Golf Course. The lease also was meant to give the trust funding to make improvements to the courses.

The administration reportedly believes the improvements have taken too long and thus the trust defaulted on the lease.

"The National Links Trust is devastated by the Trump administration's decision to terminate our 50-year lease with the National Park Service," the National Links Trust said in a statement. "Since taking over stewardship of Rock Creek, East Potomac, and Langston courses five years ago, NLT has consistently complied with all lease obligations as we work to ensure the brightest possible future for public golf in DC."

The trust said it has invested more than $8.5 million on projects at the courses but that the projects will now cease.

For its part, the Department of the Interior said in a statement: "The Trump administration prides itself on getting the job done for the American people and partnering with others who share that same goal."

Trump, who owns more than a dozen golf courses around the world, has been putting his stamp on the D.C. area since he resumed office in January. The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts was recently renamed to The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center For The Performing Arts. Trump demolished the East Wing of the White House to build a new ballroom, and he has suggested the new stadium planned for the Washington Commanders be named after him.

--Field Level Media