Interior Secretary Doug Burgum on Monday mounted a public defense of President Trump's controversial plan to redevelop East Potomac Park and its public golf courses, casting the project as a necessary restoration that would produce a championship-caliber course while preserving affordable access for District residents.
Appearing on Fox News, Burgum compared the administration's vision to iconic municipal layouts such as Torrey Pines in Southern California and Bethpage State Park on Long Island, noting that both host national tournaments and international events yet remain publicly owned with low greens fees for local players.
"There are examples of this around the country, famous golf courses, which golfers would know," Burgum said. He added that the administration's priority is "maintaining that public golf" and that the East Potomac site could become "the best course in America with the lowest prices."
The secretary's remarks came as the redevelopment effort faces an intensifying legal challenge from local preservation groups and D.C. golfers, who argue the president is illegally proceeding with construction on federal parkland. East Potomac is part of the National Park System, and critics say the work violates a court order halting activity at the site.
Over the weekend, Trump posted a graphic showing plans for an 18-hole championship-length course designed by Tom Fazio, a leading golf course architect. The proposal would replace the existing 18-hole layout and two shorter courses that serve beginners and younger players, along with a driving range and clubhouse. The park is also heavily used by thousands of bikers, walkers and joggers whose paths would be eliminated under the president's plan.
The announcement followed the removal of hundreds of trees in recent days—including cherry trees that draw thousands of tourists to the capital each year—despite a court order barring work at the site. The legal dispute has drawn sharp attention, with Judge Ana Reyes admonishing government attorneys over the ongoing work. Trump has repeatedly said he does not need approval to start the project next month and has personally attacked Reyes as "insane."
Burgum sought to frame the tree removal and renovation as a return to the park's historical condition. He noted that early 20th-century presidents, including Harding, Coolidge and Taft, golfed on the course when it was first built in the 1910s and 1920s, and that the layout then had almost no trees.
"Doing some getting rid of some of these hazardous trees is restoring it back to its historical nature when this course was made," Burgum said. He also pointed to existing infrastructure problems, saying crews have already removed two miles of broken-down fence and that the seawall is in disrepair.
The administration's push has been met with resistance from preservationists and local golfers, who have taken their case to federal court. The legal battle continues as the White House presses ahead with its redesign, setting up a high-stakes confrontation over the future of one of Washington's most visited public spaces.
