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Trump demands closure of DC's East Potomac Golf Course after claiming staffer was hit by golf ball
President Donald Trump called for East Potomac Golf Links to close immediately, alleging deteriorating facilities and unsafe driving-range nets.
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US President Donald Trump has claimed that a White House staffer was struck in the chest by a golf ball at Washington’s East Potomac Golf Course, renewing his criticism of the public facility and calling for its immediate closure over safety concerns.
In a post on Truth Social on Thursday, October 29, Trump described the course as “highly dangerous, dilapidated, and absolutely disgusting” and shared photographs that he said showed deteriorating conditions at the driving range.
Trump alleged that holes in the range’s protective netting allowed golf balls travelling at high speed to pass through and hit unsuspecting people, including a White House staffer who was struck in the chest. He did not identify the staffer or provide details about the person’s condition. The allegation could not be independently verified.
“The driving range building itself is falling apart, and its structural stability is terrible,” Trump wrote, adding that exposed nails and disintegrating wood posed additional risks to golfers.
He called for the facility to be closed immediately, arguing that its condition endangered visitors and those using the surrounding area.
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Trump pushes for golf course renovation
The post comes amid Trump’s broader effort to transform East Potomac Golf Links into a championship-level public golf course. The president has repeatedly criticized the facility’s condition and said a major renovation would make it safer and more accessible.
Trump said the revamped course would be affordable and open to the public, comparing his plans with established golf destinations such as Torrey Pines in California and Bethpage Black in New York.
The administration has proposed closing the course for an extensive renovation.
The administration has proposed closing the course for an extensive renovation. According to an Associated Press report, the National Park Service is expected to submit a design by golf course architect Tom Fazio to the National Capital Planning Commission on October 30.
The redevelopment plans have also become the subject of a legal dispute over changes to the historic public park. A federal judge has restricted further tree removal while litigation continues and ordered the administration to provide advance written notice before closing parts of the park or undertaking irreversible changes.
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The lawsuit was brought by the DC Preservation League and two golfers challenging the administration’s plans.
Dispute over public access and preservation
East Potomac Golf Links is a public golf facility used by residents and recreational golfers in Washington, DC. The proposed overhaul has raised questions about the future of the historic site, public access and the preservation of its surroundings.
Trump has argued that the existing conditions warrant a comprehensive renovation and said the project would create a facility that local golfers could take pride in.
