According to a report by CNN on the 18th, without obtaining approval from the two core agencies that regulate public spaces in Washington, the Trump administration will push through the renovation project of the East Potomac Golf Course in Washington in September.
Officials from the National Capital Planning Commission and the Art Committee confirmed to CNN that neither agency has received a proposal for renovation submitted by the White House for review. Officials from both regulatory agencies stated that, according to standard procedures, such a large-scale and complex renovation project typically requires several months of regulatory reviews, including environmental impact assessments, preservation of historical features, comprehensive planning, and architectural design.
On the 17th, during the judicial hearing related to this renovation project, the Trump administration submitted new materials to the judge handling the case. One of the documents shows that the waste material generated from the demolition work at the White House East Wing was transported and piled up at this golf course. However, the government determined that there were no safety hazards associated with the waste material without conducting soil safety tests first.
The civil organization 'Washington Conservation Alliance', along with two local golf enthusiasts, is submitting a petition to Federal District Judge Reyes, requesting the court to issue an injunction to stop the Trump administration’s renovation project.
Critics point out that in past projects, complete approval processes and legal proceedings have hardly ever stopped the president from advancing his projects. Bernbaum, the head of the Cultural Landscape Foundation, said, “He always manages to circumvent long-standing regulatory constraints, laws, and standard procedures. Such situations are common, and unfortunately, this golf course renovation project once again proves this point.”
Trump posted a statement on the "Real Social" platform last month, announcing that the renovation project of East Potomac Golf Course would begin on September 1st. "We will build the greatest golf course in the world... The current course is simply not playable!"
The report indicates that whenever the idea of large-scale new construction or renovation projects in Washington comes to mind for Trump, a fixed pattern is followed: first, efforts are pushed forward forcefully, followed by additional procedures and inquiries. Previous proposals by Trump to build the “Triumph Arch”, renovate the banquet hall in the East Wing of the White House, and transform the reflecting pool at the Lincoln Memorial all followed this logic of action, leading to strong public protests and several legal lawsuits.
