President Donald Trump says he’s seeking help from legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus Beautifying the course at Joint Base Andrews – adding to his long-range plan a site long known as the “Presidential Golf Course” Construction project list.
The president took an aerial tour of Andrews’ training range aboard Marine One on Saturday and promised “we’re going to do some work there” as well as other parts of the base.
“We’re doing some repairs to the base that it needs. We’re going to try to rebuild the golf course. I’m meeting with the greatest Jack Nicklaus,” Trump told reporters outside the White House before boarding Marine One for Andrews. “He was involved in the effort to restore their recreational facilities.”
Andrews, who is located in Maryland, about 15 miles (24.14 kilometers) from the White House, owns Air Force One. Gerald R. Ford became the first president to golf here in 1974, but the facility has recently become a favorite of Barack Obama.
The facilities are 11th Force Support Squadron assets and include three 18-hole golf courses, three practice greens, two private practice areas and a driving range, according to the Andrews website. Trump said at least two courses may be revamped.
Trump rarely plays golf at Andrews, but he prefers to play at or near Andrews most weekends. one of his own properties. Those are Bedminster, New Jersey, or Mar-a-Lago In Palm Beach, Florida. On the weekends that Trump remains in the White House, he often plays golf at his golf course near Dulles International Airport in Sterling, Virginia.
Nicklaus Won 18 career major championships and won 73 times on the PGA Tour. The team at Nicklaus Design has completed more than 425 courses in 40 states and more than 45 countries.
Trump said Saturday that Andrews Base “was a great place that was destroyed over the years by lack of maintenance.”
“So we’re going to figure it out and Jack is going to be the architect and he’s going to design it,” the president said.
He also mentioned that “the two existing stadiums are in very bad condition” and “we can repair them with very little money.”
“We’re looking at other things at Andrews,” Trump added.
Trump’s comments immediately raised questions about who was paying Nicklaus and how much such design services might cost. Additionally, given that Andrews is a military property, it is unclear who pays for improvements to its golf course or other grounds. Andrews deferred asking the White House about the matter, but the White House did not respond to a request for more details.
Andrews’ potential redesign comes after construction crews demolished the East Wing of the White House to make room for a $300 million building. ballroom Commissioned by Trump. He promised the money would be paid for by himself and private donors — including 37 individuals, companies and charitable organizations Contributions to the project have been publicly disclosed.
Trump after working in ballroom replaced The Rose Garden lawn and patio area are reminiscent of Mar-a-Lago, and the Lincoln Bathroom and Palm Room inside the White House were renovated. The president also installed a Avenue of Stars Portraits of past presidents hang on the colonnade. huge flagpole Decorations were added to the north and south lawns, and the Oval Office was significantly transformed by adding gold flowers, cherubs and other ornate items.
The Andrews project could eventually join another Trump-announced site project outside the White House: his plan to build a Paris-style arch west of Andrews. Lincoln Memorial.
Trump handed control of the family business to his children when he returned to the White House, but it has ties to other Nicklaus-designed courses — including Cape Ferri Trump Golf Course The Bronx, New York City, and Trump National Jupiter, Florida. Trump Organization Sell It awarded the rights to operate the Bronx stadium to Bally’s Corporation in 2023.