Who Cut Down The Cherry Trees?

It wasn't George Washington... it was Donald Trump! The secret is out: Trump is building a new golf course in Washington, D.C. This September, he plans to cut down the 200 year old historic Japanese cherry trees!

Trump’s New D.C. Golf Course Threatens to Scrap Historic Grove of Cherry Trees and Beloved Riverside Bike Trail

Trump said that he planned to begin construction on the new golf course at East Potomac Park on Sept. 1

People

By Kimberlee Speakman
July 2, 2026

 

 

 NEED TO KNOW

•     Plans for Trump's redesigned golf course on the East Potomac peninsula reportedly exclude a historic grove of cherry trees, bicycle trail and miniature golf course that have become popular attractions for locals and tourists
•     The redesign would reportedly expand an existing public golf course so that it cuts into 50 acres of parkland used for recreation like fishing and cycling
•     Opponents argue the plans violate a 1897 act establishing the park for public recreation and access

  President Donald Trump’s plans to redesign the golf course on the East Potomac peninsula in Washington, D.C., may come at the expense of cherry blossoms that have bloomed at the site for more than a century.

Trump was spotted touring the East Potomac Golf Links on Sunday, June 28, carrying plans for the redesigned golf course, which appeared to exclude Washington's oldest grove of cherry trees and other popular recreation areas, according to The Washington Post.

 

[...]

 

 Trump initially shared his plans for the East Potomac Golf Links, which sits on federal land run by the National Park Service, on Truth Social. He wrote that he planned to “build one of the Greatest Golf Courses anywhere in the World,” which would “host major golf tournaments.” 

A project of this size legally requires environmental studies, public input periods, and formal regulatory reviews. What have we had to date? Zilch. The plans haven't even been officially released to the public. It looks like Trump was just going to "do it," just like he did with the Ballroom.

Trump Will Take Over a Central D.C. Golf Course Starting This Week
Major renovations to the East Potomac Golf Links will start later, but the course will shut down after the final tee time on Sunday.

NOTUS

 By Reese Gorman
May 1, 2026

 

 

 The Trump administration will officially take over the East Potomac Golf Links on Sunday and will begin renovations, two sources familiar with the plans told NOTUS.

On Monday, landscaping, deferred maintenance and tree-clearing work in line with the National Park Service’s pre-approved plans will commence, the sources said. The major renovations at the course will start later, once a design is approved by the NPS and all legal compliance has been met. Golf course architect Tom Fazio is expected to lead the renovations, a source told NOTUS.

 

 The National Links Trust, which previously had a lease and controlled the East Potomac, Langston and Rock Creek golf courses, is being offered a renewed lease for Rock Creek, a source told NOTUS. The offer would include a waiver of unpaid rent for the trust to use for course improvements. NLT told NOTUS that they have not been offered any renewed lease for Rock Creek Park Golf from the administration.

 

 “This news was a complete surprise to us. We have also not received any offer of a lease at Rock Creek Park Golf. For the sake of our community and employees, we hope to have clarity as soon as possible,” a spokesperson said. “We remain committed to our mission, our community, and working to protect the public golf courses in Washington, DC for the benefit of the entire community.”

Why all the secrecy?

 

 Say goodbye to the public walking and bike paths. Say goodbye to the cherry blossoms. (By the way, dealing with dead and dying trees is an ongoing challenge, which is why the NPS already has a program to replace them). WTOP described the situation this way:

 The plans shared Thursday show the layout of the 18-hole “championship course,” which would play more than 7,600 yards from the tips and more than 5,700 yards from the front tees. The design also features a double-sided driving range, practice area and nine-hole pitch-and-putt course.

East Potomac Golf Links currently includes a nine-hole par 3 course, nine-hole executive course, 18-hole regulation course and even a mini golf course, along with a driving range and practice area. Officials with the National Links Trust, the nonprofit that operates the course, have said the complex’s current offering accommodates golfers of various skill levels.

Critics responded Thursday with several comments on the revamped design, including awkward transitions from green to tee, likely the result of packing such a long course into a property tightly confined by water on all sides.

Those tight quarters, detractors have said, also make it unlikely the course could host major championship-caliber events the Trump administration is dreaming of.

Other are worried that the course will be priced out for most people, right now it is around $50 for 18 holes but fear are that it could go up to $200 or $300 as other course designed by world-renowned golf course architect Tom Fazio charge. Pricing it out of the range of most of the golfer that use it today.

 

Oh and guess what is being dumped there now the golf course? With no permits!

Still, physical signs of the plans are evident at the site, including mounds of dirt transported there from the demolition at the White House.

That debris has since been found to contain lead, chromium and other toxic metals, the National Park Service said. The nonprofit D.C. Preservation League has sued the Trump administration, arguing the dumping was unlawful and possibly hazardous.

E&E New by Politico:

White House dodged East Wing asbestos permits

The East Wing was built at a time when the fibrous minerals were widely used in construction because of their fire-retardant qualities.

By Ellie Borst, Heather Richards

12/01/2025

 

 

 The Trump administration never obtained a permit from Washington to identify and remove asbestos before it tore down the White House’s East Wing in October.

The omission, brought to light by a public records request to the D.C. Department of Energy and Environment, highlights in a legally gray area due to the White House’s unique position as a federal jurisdiction within the nation’s capital.

And the decision not to follow city protocol, as the White House and the Trump administration have in the past, deepens controversy over the abrupt demolition of the 83-year-old building. 

 

 The White House is still legally responsible for taking safety precautions, but federal standards do not require a regulator to sign off on abatement plans beforehand. 

Trump's cavalier approach to laws and regulations continues with this golf course right in the heart of Washington. Anyone want to bet that the final name of the course will be "Trump National Golf Club on the Potomac"?

SATURDAY 9

SATURDAY 9: God Bless America

 On Saturdays I take a break from the heavy stuff and have some fun…

Unfamiliar with Connie Francis' version of this song? Hear it here.

1) Irving Berlin's lyrics celebrate our mountains, prairies, and oceans. Which of these geographical features is nearest your home?
How about an earthquake fault in my backyard? I always wanted to put up a sign that said “Diana’s Fault”

2) Berlin donated his royalties from "God Bless America" to the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts of America. Were you ever a Scout?
Yes, Cub Scout (My mother was Den Mother)
 
3) While this week's song has been recorded many times, we're concentrating on Connie Francis' 1959 version. It was never intended to be a hit, released as the B-side to her popular "Among My Souvenirs." But it took off when it was played at school rallies and patriotic events. Do you know all the lyrics to "God Bless America?" Could you sing along with Connie?
Let me put this way, when we were supposed to give a six grade concert I was told to mouth the words.

4) After she wrote her autobiography, Connie said she wanted Valerie Bertinelli to play her in the movie. Even though Valerie isn't known for her singing, Connie liked that they were both Italian-American and 5'5". If we made a movie of your life, who should play you?
Caroline Cossey

5) Connie had a passionate romance with Bobby Darin, and their relationship is included in the Broadway show about Bobby's life, Just In Time. While Connie expressed her support for the production, she never saw the show because hip problems made flying difficult. How about you? Are you dealing with any aches or pains today?
 Going to a cookout this after noon… It is going to be HOT! 

At the end of the NH dock

6) The Fourth of July means we're in the middle of summer. Are you careful about applying sunscreen?
I hide in the shade.

7) More beer is purchased for the 4th of July than any other holiday. What beverage will be served with your July 4th meal?
Ice tea. I make it half and half tea and lemonade.
 
8) Emergency rooms expect an increase over the July 4th holiday. The most common causes are sports injuries (like jammed wrists and wrenched knees) and the unwise use of home fireworks. Have you been to the ER or Urgent Care during 2026?

Nope.
In New Hampshire fireworks are legal and when we had a our lake cottage we would just pull up a lawn chair and watch the fireworks around the lake.

9) New York is home to Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest every year on the 4th. Will hot dogs be consumed in your household this weekend?
Nope… burgers! Cheeseburgers with pepperjack cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion with mayo. With potato salad and a tomato salad.

A System Of Checks And Balances

[Political Analysis]

How did a system of over 250 years go so horribly wrong in such a short time? The system's failure was systematic. The collapse was not instantaneous but gradual, kind of like boiling a frog in a pot. You don't realize the water is getting hot until it is already too late.

I believe it all started from day one:

"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

Decades later, President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal and the creation of Social Security sent conservatives into a tizzy. As the presidency and Congress oscillated back and forth between conservatives advocating for less government and liberals aiming to provide for the "general welfare," these two foundational philosophies remained deeply at odds. Ultimately, it was Alexander Hamilton’s views that pervaded. Hamilton argued that the General Welfare Clause grants Congress a separate, broad power to tax and spend for national purposes, as long as it benefits the country as a whole, rather than being restricted strictly to its other enumerated powers. Meanwhile, conservatives maintained their rallying cry: less government!

In the 1950s, 60s, and early 70s, conservatives began plotting their strategy. One of the places where this plan is thought to have come into being was at California's Bohemian Grove, where old money and new money converged. It is believed that the blueprint for the Reagan administration was forged there. These get-togethers were dominated by Wall Street bankers, industrial CEOs, legacy media barons, and traditional Republicans like Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and George H.W. Bush. Power was consolidated through corporate boards, Ivy League networks, and quiet, behind-the-scenes handshakes.

Once in office, Reagan went to work dismantling the unions. However, many of the conservatives' grand plans were stymied by the courts. Ever since then, Republicans broke with tradition; instead of appointing politically neutral judges, they began intentionally appointing jurists who leaned hard to the right.

Meanwhile, a technological revolution took place: the dawn of the World Wide Web. Suddenly, the lunatic down the street could easily talk to the lunatic on the other side of the country.

In times of economic stress, the conditions for revolution become ripe. We saw it in the 1890s, the 1930s, and we see it today as the economy fractures into what is now called a "K-shaped" economy. Back in the 1890s, the public targeted the ultra-wealthy as "Robber Barons." By the 1930s, in his famous 1936 Democratic National Convention speech, President Franklin D. Roosevelt re-baptized them as "economic dynasties" and "economic royalists."

Then, the Supreme Court threw its own two cents into the fire. With the landmark Citizens United v. FEC decision, the Court took the reins entirely off of campaign donations. The doors were blown wide open, and the dark money flowed.

The culmination of this long-game strategy came down to the judiciary. When conservative Justice Antonin Scalia passed away unexpectedly in February 2016, Senate Republicans broke traditional norms and refused to hold confirmation hearings for a replacement, arguing that it was too close to the November election. Yet, as soon as Donald Trump won, they quickly placed Neil Gorsuch on the bench in April 2017.

The hypocrisy became absolute when liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away on September 18, 2020—just 46 days before the next election. Instead of waiting for the voters, the Senate rammed through the appointment of Amy Coney Barrett in just weeks. With that, they successfully secured a captured, ultra-right-wing court.

But winning elections through a hyper-radicalized base was never a guarantee. To lock in permanent minority rule, they turned to aggressive gerrymandering, shifting district boundaries so precisely that the ruling party faced virtually no risk of losing power.

However, faced with Trump's polarizing reputation, strategists knew they needed to do more to guarantee victory. They set out to secure their wins by making it intentionally harder for marginalized communities to vote. The result is a modern incarnation of the Jim Crow "Poll Tax." By pushing for strict identification requirements, they have forced voters to produce documents like a passport (which costs $165 for a new application) or a birth certificate (which requires a notarized fee to obtain). For a low-income worker, these are not administrative safeguards; they are financial barriers to democracy.

For years, we have watched a spineless Republican Congress that is terrified of standing up to Trump, though a brave few are finally starting to show glimpses of a backbone. The public is beginning to see the deep structural corruption surrounding this administration—from the blatant buying of presidential pardons to rampant insider trading.

Consequently, Trump’s poll numbers are sinking, and he is getting desperate. He was impeached twice before but survived conviction in a loyal Senate. Now, the political landscape is shifting, and he and his cronies are visibly worried.

In their desperation, the administration's inner circle is testing the absolute limits of executive power. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin and border czar Tom Homan have floated the terrifying idea of deploying armed ICE agents or military troops directly to polling places on Election Day. They justify this authoritarian overreach with unproven claims of mass noncitizen voting and the supposed need to stop "leftist terrorists." The true tragedy of our degraded system is that, knowing the nature of this administration, such a catastrophic abuse of power is entirely possible.

Will we wake up on November 4th to the dawn of an authoritarian regime?

The modern plutocrats want to preserve their "champagne wishes and caviar dreams" at any cost, regardless of what happens to the American republic. The water is boiling, the kitchen is quiet, and the feast is served.

Frog's legs, anybody?

[/Political Analysis]

So Tell Me...

On this holiday weekend, stop and think for a moment about the direction our country is heading.

 

---

If the Constitution says one thing, can you write a law to do something other than what the Constitution says?

I think we would all say no... the Constitution is the ultimate authority. Then how come...

Trump's 'hero' justice offers roadmap after Supreme Court rejects birthright order
Speaker Mike Johnson, Sens. Rand Paul, Mike Lee and Tom Cotton are already weighing legislation and constitutional amendments
By Elaine Mallon Fox News
Published July 2, 2026

 

 

 President Donald Trump lost his Supreme Court bid to restrict birthright citizenship through executive order, but one of his own appointees may have handed Republicans a blueprint for pursuing much of the same goal through Congress.

Voting with the 6-3 majority, Justice Brett Kavanaugh agreed that Executive Order 14160, which restricts automatic citizenship to people born to U.S. citizens or permanent residents, couldn't take effect. But in a concurring opinion, he also pointed to a different path forward. Kavanaugh argued the court should have resolved the case under federal law rather than the Constitution, laying out a potential legislative path for Congress to pursue changes to birthright citizenship.

Okay, here is a justice of the Supreme Court saying to pass a law to override the Constitution. Meanwhile, a riskier solution is being offered: amend the Constitution. That is scary! That opens the path for all types of evil things.

 Kavanaugh said Trump couldn't use an executive order to change a law Congress had already passed, but instead suggested Congress could rewrite the law to limit birthright citizenship for children born to parents who are in the country illegally or temporarily.

"Congress could — consistent with the Fourteenth Amendment—amend §1401(a) or otherwise enact new legislation establishing exceptions to birthright citizenship for children born to foreign citizens unlawfully or temporarily in the country," he wrote.

I imagine that most people reading this are not lawyers, but tell me, do you see any wiggle room in this?

All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.

I don't know about you, but that is pretty straightforward. I don't see any "ifs," "ands," or "buts," nor any "howevers," "except for," or any other qualifiers. There is just no wiggle room. It says what it says: "all persons"!

 

The qualifier that says "subject to the jurisdiction thereof" is undeniably true for all undocumented immigrants. The very fact that they are sitting in detention facilities proves that they are subject to the authority of ICE and CBP.

The other option is the Constitutional amendment route, and I find that to be the scary part. They want to pass an amendment limiting the Constitutional rights we now have! Think about that.

Once you have a Constitutional Convention, the floodgates are opened... I can see a party trying to stick in an amendment to limit abortions! I can see an amendment limiting our rights as trans people! After all, if they opened the convention to limit immigrants' rights, what's to stop them from adding to their list of "evil things"? It could become a vehicle for highly polarizing social issues.

They need 38 states to pass an amendment and 34 to call a convention... and they already have 23 solid Republican states!