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Democrats demand Trump remove East Wing debris ‘recklessly’ dumped at East Potomac Park
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Several Democrats are blasting the Trump administration for dumping tons of debris from construction for President Trump’s ballroom project, some of which tested positive for toxic chemicals, at Hains Point on land overseen by the National Park Service that is near three Washington, D.C., public golf courses. In a letter to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum demanding the debris be removed, Reps. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Don Beyer (D-Va.) and Glenn Ivey (D-Md.) and Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) said “for nearly eight months, golfers, cyclists, runners, fishermen and members of the public have been exposed to such debris, which contains dangerous levels of arsenic, lead and mercury.” “Even more troubling is your failure to release reliable test results on the potential asbestos content that may be mixed in with the demolition materials of the East Wing,” they continued. “These contaminants are embedded in debris piles just feet away from the banks of the Potomac River, an important tributary of the Chesapeake Bay where people fish and row.” In a statement to The Hill on Friday, The Department of the Interior said “the soil was tested, multiple times by multiple parties, and this project passed all standards set by law.” “This thorough process was followed to ensure the transfer was safe for the public. All of the findings are available online and have been disclosed to the public,” a spokesperson for the department said. “President Donald J. Trump is fulfilling his commitment to make D.C. Safe and Beautiful as shown by record low crime rates and renovations to fountains across the capital.” The letter comes as Trump eyes a redesign of East Potomac Golf Links, one of three public golf courses in the D.C. system that sits on National Parks land and has been managed by the nonprofit National Links Trust since the coronavirus pandemic. East Potomac Golf Links sits on land owned by the National Park Service (NPS), which leases the property to the National Links Trust (NLT). Earlier this year, the Trump administration announced it had struck a deal with the NLT allowing it to maintain operation of the East Potomac Golf Links “until the National Park Service is ready to commence a historic restoration there.” The project at East Potomac Park has faced legal challenges from local preservation groups, with a judge ruling last month that the NPS must notify the preservation group if they plan to cut down more than 10 trees or perform other maintenance at the property. “The contamination results are unsurprising, as the East Wing of the White House was first built in 1902, when lead paint was a ubiquitous paint material,” the lawmakers wrote. “As the test results demonstrate, these debris piles are anything but ‘clean fill’ but rather more than likely pose a threat to human health and the environment.” Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.