WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has ended the lease agreement for three public golf courses in Washington, a move that offers President Donald Trump an additional opportunity to put his stamp on another piece of the nation's capital.
The National Links Trust, the nonprofit that has operated Washington's three public courses on federal land for the last five years, said Wednesday that the Department of the Interior had terminated its 50-year lease agreement. The Interior Department said it was terminating the lease because the nonprofit had not implemented required capital improvements and failed to meet the terms of the lease.
While it was unclear what the Trump administration's plans are for the golf courses, the move gives Trump, whose private company has developed numerous golf courses in the U.S. and abroad, the chance to remake links overlooking the Potomac River and in Rock Creek Park and a site that is part of Black golf history.
Officials for the National Links Trust said in a statement that they were “devastated” by the decision to terminate the lease and defended their management of the courses. They said $8.5 million had gone toward capital improvements at the courses and that rounds played and revenue had more than doubled in their tenure managing the courses. The nonprofit has agreed to keep managing the courses for the time being, but long-term renovations will stop.
“While this termination is a major setback, we remain stubbornly hopeful that a path forward can be found that preserves affordable and accessible public golf in the nation’s capital for generations to come,” the officials added.
The Department of the Interior's decision comes as Trump rebrands civic spaces in Washington and deploys National Guard members to the streets for public safety. The Kennedy Center added Trump's name this month after the center's board of trustees — made up of Trump appointees — voted to change the name of the performing arts space designated by Congress as a memorial to John F. Kennedy. Trump is also in the midst of a construction project to build a ballroom on the White House's East Wing, and he has put his name on the U.S. Institute of Peace.
President Donald Trump speaks during a joint news conference with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy following a meeting at his Mar-a-Lago club, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Philip Rivers' brief comeback is over — and apparently so is his career. Again.
Coach Shane Steichen announced Wednesday, as expected, Rivers would be replaced in the starting lineup by rookie Riley Leonard in the Colts' season finale Sunday at Houston.
“I think it just made the most sense for all involved to get Riley in there and let him get some work,” Rivers said. "I know he’s been preparing and working all year. Now he’s going to get a shot to go out there and we’re all pulling for him.”
Rivers will likely be the emergency quarterback while Seth Henigan serves as the backup.
“He’s going to finish this thing out and be a mentor to Riley and obviously, being from the same hometown as Riley in Fairhope, he’s excited for that, and scout team and battle like crazy with the guys, but grateful for the three weeks that he came back,” Steichen said. "Means a lot to a lot of guys in this locker room.”
Indy (8-8) lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, one day after the Texans beat Rivers' former team, the Los Angeles Chargers, to eliminate the Colts from the playoff race. Later Sunday, Rivers acknowledged he understood the circumstances and would support whatever direction the Colts went.
“There’s a lot of emotions there,” Steichen said. "Being 44 years old and coming out of this thing healthy is a blessing for him too, as well. So, he’s grateful for that. And like he said, he wouldn’t change anything. Coming back out here with the guys and battling, it’s been an honor and a privilege.”
While Rivers went 0-3 in what he described as “three bonus games” following a five-year layoff, he certainly gave the reeling Colts a chance to win all three.
Rivers helped the Colts take a late lead in Week 15 at Seattle only to watch Indy's defense give up a late field goal in the final minute. His interception in the waning seconds sealed Indy's 18-16 loss.
In Week 16, against San Francisco, Rivers helped the Colts score 27 points — but the defense never forced a punt in a 48-27 loss.
And last Sunday, Rivers' touchdown pass to Mo Alie-Cox gave Indy a 17-14 lead over Jacksonville in the third quarter. The Jaguars, however, scored the final nine points of the game to hand the Colts their sixth straight loss, paving the way for Leonard to make his starting debut in the NFL.
“If this was the last one — shoot again, I told you guys I wouldn’t have any regrets about coming back, and I don’t,” Rivers said Sunday. “Other than us not winning, right — us not winning. It’s been an absolute blast for three weeks. If I’d go back and say, ‘All right, now you know everything that is going to happen. What are you going to do?’ I’d do it all again. It’s been absolutely awesome.”
Rivers was the most recent quarterback to lead the Colts to the playoffs in 2020. Rivers, also the coach at St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Alabama, will turn the starting job over to Leonard, who played at a different high school in Fairhope.
Indy is about to embark on yet another offseason full of significant questions, starting with either Steichen, general manager Chris Ballard or both could be out after becoming the first team in 30 years to start 8-2 and miss the playoffs.
The quarterback carousel also could be spinning again.
Rivers came out of retirement two days after Daniel Jones suffered a season-ending torn right Achilles tendon that could keep him out at least until the start of training camp, perhaps longer, and one day after Leonard arrived at the team complex with an injured right knee. Jones is set to become a free agent again in March.
Though Anthony Richardson, the No. 4 overall draft pick in 2023, has been practicing each of the past two weeks, he's still on the injured reserve list because of a fractured orbital bone near his eye — the result of a bizarre pregame injury suffered in the locker room when a stretching band snapped.
Richardson is not expected to be activated Sunday and may not be back with the team after losing his starting job to Jones in training camp and throwing just two passes all season.
“He’s still got the eye limitations, and we just want to be really smart with that to be completely honest,” Steichen said Monday.
If he doesn't take any more snaps, Rivers sounds content to finish his career sixth all time in career TD passes with 425, eighth in yards passing with 63,984 and ninth in career wins with 134.
“Oh yeah, yeah. I’ll be right back on the sideline,” Rivers said when asked if another comeback was out of the question, "which I’m sure many watching probably said that’s probably where you belong.”
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers warms up before an an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers speaks during a news conference following an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers jogs off the field following an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Nick Mullens (14) talks with Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers (17) following an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
