An interim report by a Virginia engineering firm reveals that toxic metals, along with PCBs, pesticides, petroleum byproducts and other chemicals, were detected at levels above laboratory reporting limits in soil at the East Potomac Golf Links -Credit:Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
(Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
Debris from the demolition of the White House East Wing that was dumped at a nearby public golf course has tested positive for lead, chromium and other toxic metals, the National Park Service has confirmed.
An interim report by a Virginia engineering firm reveals that toxic metals, along with PCBs, pesticides, petroleum byproducts and other chemicals, were detected at levels above laboratory reporting limits in soil at the East Potomac Golf Links, a historic golf course that President Donald Trump is planning to renovate.
The park service began offloading debris from the East Wing onto the golf course in October, and more than 30,000 cubic yards (810,000 cubic feet) of excavated soil had been transported to the site as of last month, according to the report by Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., which was commissioned by the park service.
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The nonprofit DC Preservation League has taken legal action against the Trump administration, contending that the dumping was both unlawful and potentially hazardous. The organization is also contesting the Republican administration’s takeover of the golf course, located approximately 2 miles (3 kilometers) southeast of the White House, along with several other city courses.
The lawsuit is among a number of legal challenges pushing back against Trump’s sweeping efforts to leave his imprint on public spaces throughout the nation’s capital, including the renaming and closure of the Kennedy Center and the construction of a 250-foot-tall (76-meter-tall) triumphal arch near the Lincoln Memorial.
The nonprofit DC Preservation League has taken legal action against the Trump administration, contending that the dumping was both unlawful and potentially hazardous -Credit:Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Last year, another coalition of preservationists launched legal action aimed at blocking the administration from tearing down the East Wing to make way for a ballroom, a venture expected to carry a $400 million price tag.
An Interior Department spokesperson, which has authority over the park service, confirmed Tuesday via email that the soil taken from the White House grounds “was tested multiple times, by multiple parties, and this project passed all standards set by law.”
Though the agency refrains from discussing active litigation, spokeswoman Katie Martin emphasized that “this thorough process was followed to ensure the transfer was safe for the public,” spokeswoman Katie Martin said.
Rebecca Miller, executive director of the Preservation League, stated Tuesday that specialists are continuing to review the engineering report. The organization is also questioning whether the Trump administration is adhering to federal regulations, including the National Historic Preservation Act and the National Environmental Policy Act, she noted.
Rubble from the East Wing demolition is so widespread that golfers are forced to navigate around heaps of it, Miller explained. “If you Google you’ll see lots of photos of golfers walking past it,” she mentioned during an interview.
The Trump administration’s blueprint to upgrade the 105-year-old course into a professional-caliber facility would irreversibly transform its historic essence and design, Miller warned.
Rebecca Miller, executive director of the Preservation League, stated Tuesday that specialists are continuing to review the engineering report -Credit:Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
A federal judge instructed the government Monday to halt cutting down more than 10 trees without advance notification while the legal battle continues.
U.S. District Court Judge Ana Reyes indicated during a remote hearing that while she wouldn’t immediately grant a temporary restraining order, she would view any significant modifications made without advance warning very seriously.
Democracy Forward, a nationwide legal advocacy group co-representing the Preservation League, said in a press release that “further scrutiny will be required related to potential toxins that were dumped at East Potomac Park by the administration as part of the destruction of the East Wing of the White House.”
Government-released test results “suggest the Defendants dumped a cocktail of contaminants – and despite indications of the refuse’s contents, they continued dumping it,” the organization stated.
Kevin Griess, superintendent of the National Mall and Memorial Parks for the park service, testified during Monday’s court proceedings that no immediate tree removal was scheduled, though he noted a safety evaluation was in progress.
Trump, an avid golfer, also intends to overhaul a military golf course just outside Washington that has been used by past presidents for decades.
In her remarks, Martin said the Interior Department is “committed to continuing the relationships we have built with the local golf communities to ensure these courses are safe, beautiful, open, affordable, enjoyable, accessible, and world-class for people living in and visiting the greatest capital city in the world.”