By Adeola AdeosunShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberPresident Donald Trump announced plans to enlist golf legend Jack Nicklaus to redesign the courses at Joint Base Andrews, adding the military installation's recreational facilities to his expanding list of construction projects.
Trump made the announcement Saturday after taking an aerial tour of the Andrews courses aboard Marine One, telling reporters he would meet with Nicklaus to restore what he described as deteriorating facilities at the "president's golf course" at the Maryland base.
Newsweek reached out to the White House via email on Saturday for comment.
Why It Matters
The proposed redesign of Joint Base Andrews' golf courses raises questions about the use of military property for recreational improvements and the allocation of taxpayer resources.
According to Donald Trump Golf Tracker, Trump has spent approximately 23.5 percent of his second presidency golfing—72 days out of 307—with an estimated cost to taxpayers of over $100 million. The project adds to ongoing scrutiny of Trump's construction initiatives, including the $350 million White House ballroom currently under construction, which has prompted Democratic lawmakers to introduce the "Stop Ballroom Bribery Act" to restrict private donations for federal building projects.
What To Know
Joint Base Andrews, located 15 miles from the White House in Maryland, houses Air Force One and features three 18-hole golf courses that have served presidents since Gerald Ford first played there in 1974. Former President Barack Obama frequently used the facility, though Trump has rarely golfed at Andrews, preferring his own properties in New Jersey, Florida, and Virginia.
Trump indicated at least two courses would receive renovations, describing them as being "in very bad shape" due to years of inadequate maintenance. Nicklaus Design, which has completed over 425 courses across 40 states and 45 countries, would handle the redesign work.
Critical questions remain unanswered about the project's financing. Joint Base Andrews and the White House have not clarified who will pay for Nicklaus's design services or the course improvements on military property. Trump has business ties to other Nicklaus-designed courses, including Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point in the Bronx and Trump National Jupiter in Florida.
The Andrews project follows Trump's ongoing White House renovation, which includes demolishing the East Wing for a $350 million ballroom funded by private donors, replacing the Rose Garden lawn with a Mar-a-Lago-style patio, and substantially redesigning the Oval Office with gold accents and cherubs. Trump has also announced plans for a Paris-style arch near the Lincoln Memorial.
The ballroom project has drawn scrutiny from ethics experts and prompted proposed legislation from Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren and Democratic Representative Robert Garcia of California that would ban donations from those with conflicts of interest and require comprehensive donor transparency.
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump told reporters on Saturday: "We're doing some fix-up of the base, which it needs. We're gonna try and reinstitute the golf courses. I'm meeting with the greatest Jack Nicklaus. He's involved in trying to bring their recreational facility back."
Trump on the base's condition: "It was a great place that's been destroyed over the years through lack of maintenance. So we'll fix that up, and Jack will be the architect and he'll design it."
Trump on renovation costs: "Two existing courses that are in very bad shape—we can, for very little money, fix it up."
White House spokesperson Davis Ingle on construction funding criticism: “The same critics who are alleging fake conflicts of interests, would also complain if American taxpayers were footing the bill for these long-overdue renovations. The donors for the White House ballroom project represent a wide array of great American companies and generous individuals, all of whom are contributing to make the People’s House better for generations to come.”
...What Happens Next?
Details about project financing, timeline, and scope remain pending as the White House has not responded to requests for additional information. The military base has deferred all inquiries to the White House.
Reporting from the Associated Press contributed to this article.
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