President Donald Trump's plan to break ground on Washington's East Potomac Golf Links by 1 September has reignited alarm over 35,000 cubic yards (945,000 cubic feet) of toxic demolition debris dumped at the site, leaving public golfers and DC residents facing fresh uncertainty over course access and possible exposure.

Trump announced the timeline on Truth Social Sunday after touring the property with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, course architect Tom Fazio, and his son Gavin Fazio. He described the historic course as 'dilapidated, worn out, and very dangerous and outdated' and said the Department of the Interior would oversee the rebuild through a public-private partnership.

Trump said the renovated layout will host 'Major Golf Tournaments,' including the US Open, the Ryder Cup, and the PGA Championship. US Open locations are already scheduled through 2051, with open slots in 2043, 2046, and 2048. The PGA Championship is booked through 2035.

The renovation push comes after National Park Service (NPS) testing showed soil dumped at East Potomac Park during the White House East Wing demolition contains elevated levels of lead, chromium, arsenic, and mercury. One sample registered twice the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) maximum acceptable child exposure level for soil, per a 27 June letter from 61 House Democrats led by Maryland Representative Jamie Raskin.

The debris began arriving in October 2025, days after crews started flattening the East Wing for Trump's planned ballroom project. The Interior Department has said the soil was 'tested, multiple times by multiple parties' and 'passed all standards set by law.' Democrats want the more than 35,000 cubic yards removed and asked Burgum for a written response by 10 July.

US District Judge Ana Reyes, a Biden appointee, warned the administration in May that any major construction at East Potomac requires court notice. 'There are going to be serious consequences,' Reyes said, telling Justice Department lawyers she did not want a situation where 'it's too late to do anything about it.'

The order followed an emergency motion by the DC Preservation League and two local golfers, who argued the administration would 'raze' the property without intervention. The court instructed NPS to notify the group before cutting more than 10 trees or altering operations.

East Potomac is one of three District of Columbia public courses, alongside Langston Golf Course and Rock Creek Park Golf. Greens fees on the par-3 Red Course start at $15 (£11) on weekdays, while the 18-hole Blue Course runs roughly $42 (£32), well below the $600-plus (£454-plus) rates at public destinations like Pebble Beach.

The First Tee of Washington DC runs its programmes from East Potomac, and Youth on Course members can play full rounds for $3 to $5 (£2 to £4). Local players and parents have raised concerns the redesign will price out families and disrupt junior leagues, even though Trump has pledged 'highly discounted' rates for area residents.

The National Links Trust, the non-profit that has managed the three DC courses since 2020, reached an interim deal with the administration in May to keep East Potomac open until federal officials are ready to 'commence a historic restoration.' That timeline now appears to be the 1 September start date.

Source: International Business Times UK