A nonprofit that runs three Washington public golf courses owned by the National Park Service is facing potential default on its lease with the government, amid President Donald Trump’s interest in taking over one or all of the courses, according to two people familiar with negotiations between the nonprofit and the administration.
National Links Trust in October received a sudden notice of potential lease violation from the Interior Department, citing the amount of time the organization is taking to revamp the decades-old public golf courses. The default notice has previously been reported by other outlets, including The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post.
The president has also expressed interest in taking control of development away from the nonprofit to create a nationally renowned golf facility in the nation’s capital, according to The Wall Street Journal.
“I think what we’re looking to do is just build something different, and build them in government,” Trump told the newspaper.
